


Red

by whoscountinganyway



Series: When Online Changes To Reality / Jasonette Series [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternative Sexuality, Bee Miraculous, Cat Miraculous, F/F, F/M, Fox Miraculous, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Hurt Jason Todd, Hurt Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Identity Reveal, Inspired by Miraculous Ladybug, Jason Todd Deserves Better, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Jason Todd-centric, Jasonette July (DCU & Miraculous Ladybug), Ladybug Miraculous, M/M, Major Character Injury, Maribat Fluff Week, Maribat Secret Santa, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Knows, Miraculous Side Effects, Miraculous Team, Multi, POV Jason Todd, Past Character Death, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Post-Reveal Pre-Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Protective Jason Todd, Ratings: R, Resurrected Jason Todd, Strong Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Tumblr: maribat-2k20
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:53:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 28,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27275239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whoscountinganyway/pseuds/whoscountinganyway
Summary: Jason wasn't expecting to end up with bubbly, sweet class body president as his ruthless, bloodthirsty Clash Of Villains partner and he certainly didn't expect the instant attraction between them to become something more.Together in Paris, the city of love, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Jason Todd live together in her warm bakery practicing their online fighting skills when they're not fighting crime in real life.Distracted by heroism, school, work and play, the two barely have time to fall in love. Yet, spectacularly, they manage.They fall together, as civilians, as partners, as heroes and even as trauma survivors. After all they've been through...they could survive anything -can't they?Yet the more time they spend getting to know their Clash of Villains partner, the more information they have, the more suspicious they come and they start to pull away from one another.Lies push people apart.Secrets destroy others.Do they learn to accept each other despite their pasts, their secrets and their uncertain futures, or will they accept the loneliness as a permanent part of their lives...?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Luka Couffaine, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine, Alix Kubdel/Lê Chiến Kim, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Batfamily Members & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois/Kagami Tsurugi, Ivan Bruel/Mylène Haprèle, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Jason Todd, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Jason Todd
Series: When Online Changes To Reality / Jasonette Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2177751
Comments: 249
Kudos: 399





	1. Killer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eternalempires](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternalempires/gifts).



> This is Jasonette fanfic!!! It's going to be antsy and fluffy and a little sad but mostly good :)
> 
> It does start out as a texting only type thing, with no inside-the-mind character things and I don't exactly know at what point that will change but it won't last wrong and it will be for a good reason, of which you will see.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part One

**MDC** **_\- online_ ** **_//_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**KillerBug** **_  
_**_So we’re actually doing this?_ _  
__As in you’re in Paris now_ _  
__And we’re meeting in person_ _  
_

**KillerBug** _  
_ _AHH!  
_ _I can see you’re online!_

 **KillerBug  
** _Red?  
_ _Redddd_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _RED_

 **RedSniper** _  
_ _YES OH MY SHIT  
_ _i am here, Bug  
_ _in paris  
_ _meeting u in public when you have ‘male backup’ because u think i could still be a fifty year old fat freak  
_ _even though we’ve played COV together for six years  
_ _don’t u ever trust people_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _Yes you freak!  
_ _I trust people, you just never want to video chat because you’re ‘ugly’ or something  
_ _Therefore you could still be an ancient old child predator playing the long game >:( _

**RedSniper** _  
_ _child predator  
_ _what are u, twelve_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _Well I was when we started playing!  
_ _So...yes?_

 **RedSniper** _  
_ _Bug_ _  
_ _calm the fuck down, i’m literally in the airport_ _  
_ _my entire family is full of fucking idiots_ _  
_ _idiots who are almost as murderous as u whenever we play FFA_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _Free for all is meant for bloodthirsty people_ _  
_ _It’s my jam_ _  
_ _I’m so lame :(_ _  
_ _You’re not gonna like me when you meet me_

 **RedSniper** _  
_ _nah i’m definitely gonna like u_ _  
_ _it’s not like i think ur be like u are when we play  
otherwise the world would have a serial killer worse than the joker smh _

**KillerBug** _  
_ _I’m not a serial killer, I just enjoy_ _  
_ _I just enjoy_ _  
_

**KillerBug** _  
_ _Fuck_

 **RedSniper** _  
_ _did you just have your serial killer ‘aha’ moment_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _No! Because I’m not a serial killer_ _  
_ _I’m just a very adamant COV player :)_

 **RedSniper** _  
_ _oh so that’s what our generator is calling it_ _  
_ _hard to keep up on all the killer talk_ _  
_ _WHEN UR NOT ONE_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _I’M NOT A SERIAL KILLER_ _  
_ _Red :(_

 **RedSniper** _  
_ _fine whatever_ _  
_ _ur not a serial killer_ _  
_ _but Bug_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _Yeeeaaaa….?_

 **RedSniper** _  
_ _when we meet_ _  
_ _and i get serial killed_ _  
_ _i will be pissed_ _  
_ _and come back to haunt you_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _Eternal company omg! :D_

 **RedSniper** _  
_ _who am i supposed to call when i think i’m in danger_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _Me_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _Obviously_ _  
_ _;)_

 **RedSniper** _  
wow cocky  
for a serial killer ur pretty blatant  
u shouldn't let the people ur trying to kill know ur trying to kill them _

**KillerBug** _  
Oh?  
And what do you know about killing people, Red? _

**RedSniper** _  
pfft  
nothing  
obviously  
;) _

**KillerBug** _  
Who's the serial killer now?_

 **RedSniper** _  
still u Bug  
_

**RedSniper** _  
u gonna answer  
_

**MDC** **_\- offline //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**RedSniper** _  
whatever  
i'm helping my family set up in the hotel  
text me where to meet you _

**RedSniper** _  
by Buggie_

**MDC _\- offline //_ JT _\- offline_**


	2. Twink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Two

**MDC** **_\- online //_ ** **JT** **_\- offline_ **

**KillerBug** _  
Hey Red :)  
I'm out of school _

**KillerBug** _  
I know you're not getting this  
But it takes me fifteen minutes to walk there _

**KillerBug** _  
You ever heard of the The Place des Vosges?  
Because that's where we're meeting!  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
_ _(As long as you can get there within 2 hours)  
(And if you can't are you sure you're in the right country?)  
  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME _

**KillerBug** _  
Answer :( _

**MDC** **_\- online //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**RedSniper** _  
aren't you patient _

**KillerBug** _  
You're not enrolled in school yet  
Assuming you're not a child predator, you are living with me  
So you don't have to unpack  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
So....  
What the fuck have you even been up to, Red? _

**RedSniper** _  
walking around ur boring city _

**KillerBug** _  
It's the city of love!  
How could that be boring? _

**RedSniper** _  
1\. because i'm loveless  
2\. because i live in gotham where crime is daily  
3\. that makes crimes fun  
4\. everything looks weird and fancy _

**KillerBug** _  
1\. Nobody is loveless  
2\. I know that's not fun  
3\. Yikes man  
4\. Everything looks beautiful*** _

**KillerBug** _  
I'm almost there are you there? _

**RedSniper** _  
almost  
and chill Bug  
i'd think after six years u would have more patience than this  
but nah _

**KillerBug** _  
We have reeked peak friend level  
We know everything about each other  
(Mostly)  
  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
I've heard your voice  
I know your first name, Jason  
The only thing left is to see your face  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
I've waited long enough! _

**RedSniper** _  
yada yada blah blah blah  
if we're going there, Mare  
then u should know I'm willing to wait longer _

**KillerBug** _  
No you're not  
You're just as curious as me _

**RedSniper** _  
whatever  
be there in 5 _

**MDC** **_\- offline //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**RedSniper** _  
ur freaking out aren't u _

**RedSniper** _  
yeah  
that's exactly what ur doing _

**RedSniper** _  
damn by the time ur done I'll be there _

**RedSniper** _  
*Sent Picture* _

**MDC** **_\- online //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**RedSniper** _  
this u _

**KillerBug** _  
Lmao that's a dude _

**KillerBug** _  
Wait _

**KillerBug** _  
Do you think I'm a dude?!? _

**RedSniper** _  
fuck  
_

 **RedSniper** _  
ur not one _

**KillerBug** _  
No! _

**KillerBug** _  
You seriously thought I was one? _

**RedSniper** _  
yeah  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
What the fuck? _

**RedSniper** _  
mhm  
what the fuck _

**RedSniper** _  
we are so dumb not to have caught that _

**KillerBug** _  
Oh no :(  
Do I sound like a man over the phone?  
_

 **RedSniper** _  
listen Bug  
i'm going to be drop dead honest with u  
_

 **RedSniper** _  
i thought u were a twink  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
:O _

**RedSniper** _  
only because most girls don't like bugs  
or video games  
and if they do they aren't chaotic like u  
_

 **RedSniper** _  
and my best friend called you a twink  
so I stopped thinking about you as a boy  
or a girl  
but as a genderless twink _

**KillerBug** _  
I cannot believe you  
I _ _legitimately can't_

 **KillerBug** _  
Do you still want to meet? _

**RedSniper** _  
why wouldn't i _

**KillerBug** _  
Cause living with a girl alone  
That you don't know  
And thought was a twink  
Might be a little awkward? _

**RedSniper** _  
you think i'll be less okay with you as a girl  
than i would be with you as a twink  
even though we both know i'm a straight male _

**KillerBug** _  
Well when you put it that way _

**RedSniper** _  
*Sent Picture*  
_

 **RedSniper** _  
this u _

**KillerBug** _  
No but it's a girl this time  
And I'm in frame _

**KillerBug** _  
*Sent Picture* _

**KillerBug** _  
Is this guy you?  
Or too tall? _

**RedSniper**   
_well_  
 _good to know you think i'm tall_

 **MDC** **_\- offline //_ ** **JT** **_\- offline_ **


	3. Danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Three

Marinette's head snaps up from her spot on the bench, looking up at the tall boy- -man?- -that she took the picture of. To say that she was shocked, well, that was an understatement.

His head was still tilted down, looking at his phone that he's holding with one hand. The other is buried in his sweatpants pocket.

Red, or Jason, was biting his lip.

And he had a dyed white part to his hair right in the front where the strands just fell in his eyes. Though he wasn't trying, she could see the muscles lining his frame yet she nearly broke out into giggles when she reads the 'Daddy's Biggest Problem' on the front of his shirt.

This was definitely her partner.

But he definitely _wasn't_ ugly.

The heroine's heart clenches in her chest as she notices the scars over his arms and one over his forehead down to the corner of his mouth. All her time fighting villains taught her what different weapons looked like -how to tell how damaged someone is at a glance.

These scars are from a crowbar.

Are they... _are they why he thinks he's ugly?_

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had never felt more heart wrenched in her life by someone else's insecurities.

A light smile was on Red's face, lighting up his features.

The sight was, well it wasn't what she was expecting at all because he's not ugly. He's a gorgeous man that captivated her thoughts instantly, so much so that she didn't notice the tall woman, the three other men behind him or the angry child beside him at all.

It was then Marinette's phone rings, reminding her to breathe.

**MDC** **_\- offline //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ ** **_  
_ **

**RedSniper** _  
Bug  
i still don't know who the fuck u are _

**RedSniper** _  
now who's acting like the predator _

**RedSniper** _  
i feel like ur stalking me  
not a good feeling _

**MDC** **_\- online //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**KillerBug** _  
I'm not stalking you I'm sorry _

**KillerBug** _  
It's just you know _

**KillerBug** _  
You're not ugly  
Like at all _

**RedSniper** _  
oh _

**RedSniper** _  
the fuck does have to do with me meeting u  
so i'm tall and not ugly _

**RedSniper** _  
great  
now lets see if the same could be said for you _

**KillerBug** _  
Just because of how salty you're being  
I'm gonna make you keep guessing _

**RedSniper** _  
lol just do a front flip or something _

Though she has a feeling that he was merely joking, Marinette stands up from where she is next to Alya and Nino- -her friends, one of whom squeals to herself and the other gapes as she climbs onto the edge of the bench- -balances herself before actually doing a front flip.

Don't get her wrong, Marinette is clumsy enough to give herself a concussion rolling over in bed, but being one of Paris's saviors has taught her how to have moments like this where she doesn't face plant into the ground.

Fixing her skirt as she lands, the heroine looks up to meet his gaze.

"Hi." Marinette giggles out, shyly waves at the now gaping Jason. "Um, I'm Killer Bug and um, I'm not a twink."

Walking up to her, the hero nods dumbly, loosely taking her hand to wave. "You're uh, you're not ugly either."

And she really wasn't.

Jason always expected normalcy from normal people, even if they are a little bloodthirsty, but the girl in front of him wasn't normal.

She was wearing a pink skirt, a white long-sleeve and white flats, fishnets hugging her legs.

Her black hair is tucked safely into two pigtails on either side of her head, the sun casting a light making her hair reflect blue. She wasn't tall, as he mentioned, in fact she was quite short compared to him. It was... _it was adorable_.

She is adorable.

And flushed pink.

And doesn't look like a killer twink at all -which will be to Roy's surprise.

"Oh! I didn't notice them...is this your family?"

"Sadly." Jason says, not even bothering to check their reactions. "Your friends are here?"

"Yeah actually-"

Though Adrien and Luka couldn't make it because they had a double date with Chloe and Kagami, Kim was more than willing to come and 'protect' everyone. Which led to him running straight into Marinette while screaming "Stranger Danger!" at the top of his lungs, knocking them both into the ground quite painfully.

Yelping in pain, Marinette struggles to get out of Kim's grip.

"Get off her, Kim!" Alya shouts, stomping over to the two teenagers on the ground. "One wrong move and you break something of hers, you giant fool."

Grumbling and without apology, Kim stands and brushes himself off -not even offering a hand to the girl he just tackled.

"Dude," Nino can't help but to laugh at the dazed look on Marinette's face. "I can't believe you didn't see that coming."

Damian, Jason's 'little brother' and Bruce Wayne's son, also known as Robin, is the first one to speak. "I can't believe he was stupid enough to do something like that infront of a group of people that could beat him up."

"Damian." Bruce says, voice stern.

"Here," Selina offers the heroine her hand, lifting her off the ground with little resistance. "Sorry, all of Bruce's boys are a little...rowdy, and it seems like yours aren't too far behind."

Marinette nods, giving her a smile. "Boys are idiots world wild."

"Wow Bug," Jason scoffs, crossing his arms. "We just got together and you're already insulting me."

"Well," She giggles. "Now you know what you've signed up for."

"Oh ha ha, funny."

"I know I am, thanks."

Beside her best friend, Alya coughs. "So...I know you're the one she's been talking to forever." She points to Jason. "But who are the rest of you?"

Motioning to them, Damian nods. "Introduce yourselves first."

"Alright, my name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I'm your brother's Clash of Villains partner. I hope you've heard about me." Marinette chirps, smiling at the seemingly strict but somehow idiotic family.

"Continually." The boy grunts, crossing his arms.

Alya steps forward, wrapping her arm around Marinette's neck as she locks eyes with Jason again -her best friend focused on Bruce and Selina. "I'm Alya, this chick is my best friend, if any of you hurt her, I'll kill you. This is my boyfriend, Nino."

"I'll be very disappointed in you if any of you hurt her." Nino says, making Marinette roll her eyes at his relaxed, completely not-serious look. "You guys are from Gotham?"

"The one and only city of death." Dick grins, his tone not matching what he's saying. "Do any of you know who we are?"

"The Wayne's!" Alya is the one to answer, the reporter in her instantly perking up. "I've heard all about you. Especially you, Jason. Marinette doesn't shut up about you, it's cute though, really. Did you actually think she was a twink?"

Jason nods without shame, grinning as he playfully looks his partner up and down. "Can you blame me?"

Nino laughs, hand slapping over his mouth as he catches the cold look Alya sends him.

"She doesn't look anything like a guy."

"Al, it's alright." Marinette pulls away from her best friend, stepping closer to Jason. "It's funny, not offensive."

Obviously not agreeing but accepting it anyway, Alya crosses her arms.

Marinette just continues, now facing the family of strangers. "I'd love to guess all your names, he talks about you a lot."

None of them knew if that was a good thing or not, except Bruce, who knew it was absolutely not a good thing in any context that Jason Todd, Red Hood, and mad adoptive son put him in. Selina knew that she probably had nothing to worry about.

"You're Damian," The heroine identifies the boy first, causing him to finally notice that they're around the same height. Strange, compared to all the tall heroines he interacts with. Next, she looks between the one whose around the same height as Bruce- -both just barely shorter than Jason- -and the smaller one with longer hair. "You're Tim and um..."

 _Oh god,_ Marinette realizes. _Red has only ever called him Dildo._

"Hey, Dildo." Jason says with a wide smirk. "I think she knows who you are."

Dick glares at him, "That's not my name Jason!"

"Then why did you respond to it?"

"Because you're an asshole and call me it so much!" The hero shouts, crossing his arms as he turns back to the now flustered Marinette. "My name is Dick."

"Oh, that makes sense." She says without thinking, glancing at Bruce. "You're um, Bruce Wayne, I take it."

Just from the way she said his name, Bruce knew that his suspicion was correct.

"That makes you Selina Kyle!" And from the way she said her name, Selina knew she was right too as Marinette smiles up at her. "Jason likes you."

This, however, did surprise the heroine. Glancing between Jason and the girl, Selina tries not to give her upmost confusion away. "He does?"

"Well yeah." Marinette is the only one that doesn't realize how strange that is. "He told me that-"

"I said nothing." Jason shrugs, a single pleading look at Marinette being enough to make her lips seal shut. "She's probably confused."

_ Him liking someone in his family is a secret...  o kay then. _

Selina and Bruce look to each other, but they both come up empty.

"So...did I get everyone right?"

Dick, still mad, shakes his head. "You didn't get me."

"Well you see," Marinette motions up to her partner, throwing him under the bus without thought. "It's his fault for calling you a Dildo. If it makes you feel better, I asked for your name and he just said 'he's seriously just a Dick'. But I am the one that didn't take him seriously."

"Gee," Jason rolls his eyes. "Thanks Bug."

"No problem Red."

One thing they all knew, _this_ would be quite the adventure.


	4. Brutalism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are a fan of these two dumbasses texting because I am and now I can't stop myself. Also, if you couldn't tell this fanfic is either crackhead fluff stuff or shouldn't be funny but is angst shit.
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Four

Both Marinette and Jason supposed that their first night alone together in her house would have been awkward but once they decided to skip that phase by playing Clash of Villains it seemed...well it seemed more like home than either of their houses did the night before.

With the head sets on, remotes in hands, screen blaring in front of their eyes it was easy to forget any part of their lives that wasn't each other and the game in front of them.

Marinette was sitting on the floor between Jason's legs- -they started out on opposite sides of the couch and didn't notice as they migrated together- -which led to him resting on her shoulders to play. That was comfortable for a while.

Then they played two vs. two and he started to sabotage her by blocking her sight and she retaliated by throwing his remote across the room.

They both lost to the boss because of that but they couldn't help but feel like winners.

Yet the next morning, which came much too quick for the two teenagers who noticed the sun come up because of the annoying reflection on the screen, they both felt a little too sleep deprived. Still, it felt good to act like real teenagers.

The tired you get because you stayed up playing games with a genuine friend felt like an entirely different kind of tired than staying up with an adopted asshole doing patrol all night and Jason couldn't quite describe it.

But it felt...it felt nice.

Being with _her_ , it felt nice.

Apparently, being rich got you things it couldn't get normal people as Jason was already enrolled in Francoise Dupont according to the short text Bruce sent him.

So Jason slipped on a pair of black jeans, a red shirt and one of his leather jackets- -he didn't have anything else on hand but it's not like the French would recognize his jacket as a vigilante's- -before grabbing his backpack that is entirely empty besides a single book and his tablet and climbing downstairs.

The hero had to admit, the bakery's warmth instantly grew on him.

He can see Marinette working on something at the counter. She had on a black skirt that in America, would get her a scolding at school, a light blue sweater on and black flats -her hair already in two pigtails.

That's another thing that was growing on him, her adorable pigtails.

"This is cozy, Bug." Jason says, heading straight over to her. "What are -oh! Coffee!"

He gladly accepts the travel mug she holds out to him, needing the energy boost.

"I make my own coffee grounds for specific flavors and I make my own creamer and whip too," The heroine knows that she shouldn't sound sheepish about this but she also knows that this wasn't something normal people did. "Everything in the bakery is made from scratch."

On the door and all around the bakery it reads _Tom & Sabine's Boulangerie Patisserie_ but he knew her parents weren't there anymore. He didn't know their names or if someone was even staying with her, he just knew that at the moment, she was alone.

He didn't want to ask but quietly he does, "Bug...you said your parents got into a accident. Were they the ones who taught you all this, that left you this place?"

"Yeah." Marinette nods and Jason can tell it's painful for her. "They were actually on their way to a contest when it happened. My mother is, um was, the coffee maker and she cooked all the time. She's, she was really good at it. And my dad was the baker, runs in our blood, but he's just as clumsy as me. Or he...he was just as clumsy as me."

Jason's heart clenches in his chest as he stares down at the girl in front of him, well aware that she's falling apart inside.

Because of that, he decides to say, "It was hard for me at first too, when my mom died. I couldn't say it out loud, couldn't even admit she was really gone. You'll...it will get easier eventually, to talk like their gone, to feel it."

She nods, "Thanks, Red."

Lightening the mood, Jason playfully ruffles the top of her head. "Welcome, Bug."

"Oh! I forgot, I need to grab my backpack but then I'll be right there and we can head to school. It's a really short walk!" Much to his amusement, she keeps talking as she runs up the stairs. "You'll get to meet all my friends and hopefully you'll...that be fun? I think...his name is...and he's dating....you're just going to get alone with them, I think! But I do have to warn you about the Akuma's."

Jason Todd's mind nearly exploded when he saw that now over her adorable outfit, she sported a leather jacket with a red hood that had a red bat crossing over her chest. It looked like she was a fan of his superhero alias, which was enough to send him over the roof.

Enough to get him to flush red.

"The um, the Akuma's?" He stammers out, raising a hand to hold over his mouth as he looks away from her.

His reaction confused Marinette but she ignored it for the moment and wrapped her around around his to lead him out of the bakery.

"There's this supervillain freak named Hawkmoth. He's insane but really dangerous. There's these things called Miraculous that grant people who wear the Miraculous superpowers that allow them to save the city." Not giving too much away, basically telling him everything that's on the LadyBlog. "Our heroes have them but so does Hawkmoth and his partner, Mayura. If your emotions get too out of control, it draws the Akuma in and changes to give you powers too. Until your body is rid of the Akuma, you're under Hawkmoth's control and can do terrible things. Even if you look like the most put together person externally if you're raging or crying on the inside, you're vulnerable to be Akumatized. I won't judge you for it, but if you ever get upset or need to cry, I can take you somewhere safe."

"Hmm," Jason hums -he already knew all that information, and a bit more, because of the mission the bat-team is on at the moment but a regular teenager wouldn't so that's all he does, hums.

"What's 'hmm'?" Marinette giggles out. "You find out magical butterflies called Akuma's grant people the powers to be villains for a supervillain and that's all you say?"

"What else do you expect me to say?" He laughs. "You live in the city of love and I live in a perpetually twilit urban hell-scape that looks like the Art Decoration movement had a one-night stand with Soviet Brutalism in a wrought iron and gargoyle factory and you expect me to be surprised?"

She only giggles again, more caught on his description than his question. "How long have you been waiting to use that one."

Jason looks down to the gleeful girl clutching onto his arm with a genuine grin, "Literal years."

Marinette laughs again.

And it makes Jason feel like the world isn't on the back of his shoulders.

But this is Paris and this is a girl he's known for years and she's everything he didn't expected her to be while being the same amazing person he's known this entire time so he has to keep digging for information.

"I noticed your Red Hood apparel, Bug, don't think I didn't." The hero bumps her with his hip. "Are you seriously a fan of his?"

"Yes!" She instantly chirps out, still leading the way as she glances up at him with those killer blue eyes. "Aren't you?"

Jason shrugs, "Didn't he kill a bunch of people?"

"Whatever." Given how quick she is to the slaughter in Clash of Villains and is entirely unapologetic when she 'accidentally' has a friendly fire incident, Jason doesn't quite know why this surprises him but it does. "He's still a hero and all I'm saying is that nobody would hate Red Hood for killing Nazi's to get to Hitler. I think the same thing about the bad guys in Gotham he goes through to get to Joker, you know."

"Sure I do." He scoffs, internally shouting 'Hallelujah' while spinning in circles. "So you like Red Hood, the anti-hero of all people, does that mean you also like Batman?"

"I don't know. I never liked him."

This shouldn't make him as happy as he does, Jason knows that.

He just doesn't care enough to stop his smile.

"I mean...he's Batman," Marinette continues, oblivious to Jason's reactions. "He fights crime at night and wears a dark suit so he won't be seen and he chose bright colors for his sidekicks. Who are literal children. Aren't they? Anyway, only idiots do that." 

"In my mind they all started out as short ass kids running around the streets at night in those colors so they don't get hit by a truck or something." Jason raises an eyebrow at her, not realizing she actually knew that much about Gotham's heroes. "That's they're safety uniform."

_God help him if he gives it away by giggling because he just said that._

"Yeah, okay, but like..." Trailing off, the heroine purses her lips. "Didn't they all die at least once or something? I mean, there's always a new one, that means something happened to the old one or they grew up. Which, I doubt they all just grew up unharmed. It's like Batman is creating a matryoshka doll of heroes."

"A matryoshka doll of heroes." Jason echoes.

"Yeah."

"That is...a really good way to put it but at the same time," He bumps her again, ignoring the way their coffee sloshes dangerously in their hands. "I hate that it's true but-"

"Behold!" She interrupts him, holding her arms out at the giant building in front of her. "Francoise Dupont, your new school until the COV tournament is over."

When he'd be going back home.

It was a month away but Jason was already dreading having to leave.

With a clenched jaw he chokes out "Your friends?" in a tight voice.

Clapping her hands excitedly, Marinette stumbles as she steps across the road tugging Jason behind her but they make it across safely.

She points to a group of seven teenagers standing to one side -none of which notice them standing there. "You remember them."

He does, they're Alya and Nino from the park there, together. One looks tired and the other looks too awake for it to only be seven in the morning.

"Don't look at me like that,” Nino is grumbling out, swatting his girlfriend’s hand away from his hat. “You know I would rather stay in bed having a mental crisis than wake up two minutes earlier than my alarm.”

Jason smirks as Marinette continues on like they're on a nature documentary. "Alya really is a protective person, I would recommend getting on her side. She's a journalist and documents superheroes in the city. Nino is a DJ and makes really good music, he's a chill guy. We like him because he keeps Alya calm."

If it wouldn't draw attention, he'd probably start wheezing.

"The two tall guys, the blond and the one with blue hair? They're a couple. Adrien Agreste-"

_Agreste._

The hero knew that name. It was the last name of the guy his family is here investigating because he's been interacting with Joker. This guy...he's dangerous, very dangerous.

And this blond must be his son.

"-who is a sunshine child. He is awkward at moments but he's really nice and you probably couldn't make him mad unless you hurt one of us on purpose. His boyfriend however, even if he seems really mellow it only takes one comment to make him go all snarly. His name is Luka Couffaine. He's scarily protective, like Alya but more physical, but it's way easier to get and stay on his good list."

Taking a drink of her coffee, she glances up at Jason who starts grinning again, trying not to let her catch onto the fact that he knew something he shouldn't.

"So now you know Alya, Nino, Adrien and Luka. Time for the disaster lesbians." Their gaze shifts over to another blond and black haired girl, one of which looks blank and the other is scowling at a brown haired girl standing in front of them. "The blank one is Kagami Tsurugi, she's a martial artist and can kick your ass. Her family is really strict and her and Luka graduated school so they started to work for me. It's a really nice break for them both. The mean one wearing the heavy makeup is Chloe Bourgeois, her dad's the mayor and she's gay as hell but still manages to act like Heather Chandler."

“Life is hard Lila,” Chloe sighs out, flicking her wrist out at the brown haired girl. “Sometimes I feel bad for you because I do understand that it is even harder when you’re stupid.”

 _Well,_ Jason thinks. _Point proven._

"That girl is the enemy," Marinette suddenly whispers, pulling him down to her level -making him crouch so their faces are level. "Her name is Lila Rossi, the Heather Duke. Once Chloe stopped being a bully, which trust me she was a pretty big one, Lila stepped in to fill her place. She wants Adrien to fall in love with her and stay away from boys, since he's bi, but Chloe doesn't let her get near him."

Nodding, he looks over the group once again.

"How many of you guys have been akumatized?"

Thinking for a moment, Marinette suddenly freezes. "I don't, wait...what?" She says to herself, eyes flicking to her friends then back down to her self. "I'm...I'm the only one that hasn't been akumatized. _I'm the only one_."

With her finger pointing to her friends again the heroine takes to mumbling out their villain names.

"Holy shit, I'm the only on in my class that hasn't been Akumatized, including my teacher!"

"Damn girl," Jason was new to this whole thing but even he could see how weird that was, especially considering the stress and despair in her life. "Your mind must be made out of steel or something."

"Yeah," Marinette nods. "Or something."


	5. Saboteur

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Five

**MDC** **_\- online //_ ** **JT** **_\- offline_ **

**KillerBug** _  
I know you're in science  
But I also figured it was boring you _

**KillerBug** _  
Like really boring you _

**KillerBug** _  
Because you're smart  
So you already know everything Mme.M is saying _

**KillerBug** _  
That being said you should be answering me  
Also because I'm awesome  
_

**MDC _\- online //_ JT _\- online_**

**KillerBug** _  
And I'm saving you _

**KillerBug** _  
From _

**KillerBug** _  
The _

**RedSniper** _  
boredom _

**KillerBug** _  
You should have let me finish! :( _

**RedSniper** _  
at least i'm not bored anymore _

**RedSniper** _  
thanks to u _

**KillerBug** _  
Being charming will get you nowhere  
Except out of class ;) _

**RedSniper** _  
what the fuck are u talking about _

**KillerBug** _  
Me and my friends are skipping the rest of school because Luka's mom is throwing a boat party for everyone to destress at _

**RedSniper** _  
so  
they're ur friends _

**KillerBug** _  
Stop being dense Red!  
You're coming :) _

**RedSniper** _  
suddenly this class is very interesting _

**KillerBug** _  
Suddenly I feel like friendly fire won't be so rare of an accident  
Isn't that interesting _

**RedSniper** _  
i knew u were killing us on purpose  
u _ _saboteur_

 **KillerBug** _  
Yikes :/  
You caught me _

**RedSniper** _  
red handed  
murderer _

**KillerBug** _  
I very rarely killed you though...  
Don't I get any brownie points for that?  
(That's the saying in the Americas?) _

**RedSniper** _  
serial killers don't deserve brownies  
(yes but stop stealing our lines french idioms are cool) _

**KillerBug** _  
Red :(  
I'm not a serial killer! _

**RedSniper** _  
killer _

**KillerBug** _  
D: _

**RedSniper** _  
;) _

**MDC** **_\- offline //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**RedSniper** _  
Bug  
did my wink kill u or what _

**RedSniper** _  
seriously _

**RedSniper** _  
saboteur  
_

 **RedSniper** _  
murderer _

**RedSniper** _  
serial killer _

**RedSniper** _  
killer _

**RedSniper** _  
killer bug _

**RedSniper** _  
Bug _

**RedSniper** _  
fuck _

**MDC _\- online //_ JT _\- online_**

**RedSniper** _  
come on Bug i can see ur on _

**KillerBug** _  
No you can't >:( _

**RedSniper** _  
the fuck i can't  
what happened  
i didn't think my wink was that devastatingly attractive  
but i could be wrong _

**KillerBug** _  
Don't get cocky _

**KillerBug** _  
Alya was...pressing me for information I guess  
And then Kim almost killed me _

**RedSniper** _  
what _

**KillerBug** _  
He thought trying to throw me off the side of a building was fun but Alix took care of it :) _

**KillerBug** _  
Oh! Alix Kubdel  
She's Kim's girlfriend _

**RedSniper** _  
that guy has a girlfriend _

**KillerBug** _  
He's sweet when he wants to be _

**RedSniper** _  
i'm sure that's true _

**RedSniper** _  
i don't like him _

**KillerBug** _  
Why not? :( _

**RedSniper** _  
he treats u like a tall dude that can fight back and the things he does to u are dangerous _

**KillerBug** _  
I'm not defenseless Red _

**RedSniper** _  
good to know  
but i still don't like him _

**MDC** **_\- online //_ ** **JT** **_\- offline_ **

**KillerBug** _  
Oh no did Mme.M catch you texting?  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
Sorry _

**MDC** **_\- offline //_ ** **JT** **_\- offline_ **

**MDC** **_\- offline //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**RedSniper** _  
don't be i was just sneaking out of class _

**RedSniper** _  
so  
where do i meet you _

**MDC** **_\- online //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ **

**KillerBug** _  
The roof! _

**RedSniper** _  
why there _

**KillerBug** _  
There's a ladder in the back with no cameras around  
It's fun to slide down! :D _

**KillerBug** _  
Do you know your way up? _

**RedSniper** _  
yea _

**KillerBug** _  
Oh  
How the hell do you know that already? _

**RedSniper** _  
i like to be prepared _

**KillerBug** _  
Prepared for? _

**RedSniper** _  
its a escape plan incase if of the magical butterflies u talked about decides to attack _

**KillerBug** _  
The roof isn't a safe place during Akuma attacks Jason  
_

 **RedSniper** _  
if one does attack don't worry ur pretty little head about me Bug  
just get out of the building _

**KillerBug** _  
Well now I definitely can't leave you to your own devices if you think the roof would be a good place to be when a villain wants to smash a school apart  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
I thought Gotham had villains  
Do you go bounding across rooftops there too? _

**RedSniper** _  
and if i did _

**KillerBug** _  
Then I'd punch you for almost getting yourself killed  
Who would I play COV duos with if you die? _

**RedSniper** _  
doesn't ur friend Adrien play video games _

**KillerBug** _  
dOeSnT uR fRiEnD aDrIeN pLaY vIdEo GaMeS _

**RedSniper** _  
rude_

**KillerBug** _  
I love him but Adrien isn't you!  
He can't beat the third level boss without a party with him  
And he is too nice and isn't as funny  
_

 **KillerBug** _  
You better stay alive or I'll kill you myself! _

**RedSniper** _  
ur gonna kill me  
if i die _

**RedSniper** _  
um Bug _

**RedSniper** _  
i have some bad news for you _

**KillerBug** _  
I know what I said!  
Just get your ass up here _

**RedSniper** _  
are u mad Bug _

**KillerBug** _  
Yes >:(  
You put yourself in danger on purpose _

**KillerBug** _  
You can't do that here  
The villains we have are very different than the ones you have  
Yours have guns and are insane  
Mine are magical and can make you do things you don't want or kill you  
Or make you kill someone else _

**KillerBug** _  
Stay away from them  
And off of roofs! _

**RedSniper** _  
fine _

**RedSniper** _  
i'm almost there  
are u still mad _

**KillerBug** _  
No _

**RedSniper** _  
fuck  
yes u are _

**RedSniper** _  
i know how you text when you're mad _

**KillerBug** _  
I'm fine let's just go have fun okay? _

**KillerBug**   
You'll like Anarka  
I promise

_**MDC** **\- offline //** **JT** **\- offline** _


	6. Liberty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my laptop shut down unexpectedly bc it's giving me problems but I had written almost the entire chapter before that happened (I wasn't even working on AO3 and it still didn't save) so I'm kinda mad and forgot everything because I got mad but let's hope that this chapter is just as good as it's supposed to be.
> 
> Sorry if it's not :/
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Six

When Marinette was running away from school, ducking behind a tree or dashing from one side walk to the next in 'sneaky' fashion Jason almost instantly noticed that she pulled the red hoodie over her head to hide her face.

She was acting like him, like if she was Red Hood then she'd be invincible to angry principals or yelling teachers or curious police.

But now he was red too.

Though Jason could tell she wasn't still angry he could see the stagnant concern in her eyes, as if the emotion was flirting with the blue, she still held tight to his hand as they ran through the streets of Paris.

Chasing after friends to get to a party while skipping school felt so weird compared to the normal that is chasing after criminals to get them arrested while also getting shot at. For once he was starting to think of himself as a real teenager.

This was...this was _fun_.

He's always read that a girl will be the end of someone but right now, with Marinette, Jason swears this feels like the start of his life.

Even if being on a roof will be the end of his.

"Bug slow down," Jason laughs out, turning his hand over to catch hold of his wrist and pull them to a stop behind her friends. "You're tripping yourself."

Indeed stumbling but not caring one bit, Marinette shakes her hair. "Nonsense! Let's go, Red."

"Wait, come here."

Tugging her closer to him, the hero's lips twitch up into a smirk as he notices how her head has to tilt back, making the hood slip down to her neck past her already completely messed up hair.

Cheeks flushing, she can only blink at him. "Yeah um, yes, you're um-"

"Your hair." He explains.

Gently taking the two red ribbons from her hair, he ruffles the black strand out messily before pulling the hood up from either side of her face. Jason gulps, jaw clenching. Before him or Marinette can fully take in the moment a shout from Alya is drawing them out of their intimate bubble.

Stepping away first, the heroine giggles as Jason just pats her over the hood.

"Coming!" She answers her best friend, motioning for her partner to follow.

Looking down at his hands, the red ribbons pool in his palm. Taking a quick moment to wrap them around his wrist, the hero follows after them all.

It's not long before they make it to the Couffaine boat- -not long for Jason anyway, everything in France was scrunched together compared to America- -and realize that it wasn't just Marinette's tight nit friend group that was there.

Anarka, who was Luka and as he would later find out Juleka's mother, was the one that greeted them.

And she looked like a pirate.

"Aye," She grins, hugging Adrien before giving everyone a clasp on the shoulder. "Glad you all made it -oh! A new young lad! Where'd you drag him in from, missy?"

It takes Marinette a few seconds before she realizes Anarka is talking to her but once she does, she finds herself grinning sheepishly. "He's the one I've told you about, who I play Clash of Villains with. Red, meet Anarka, Anarka meet Red."

"Well lad, is Red your real name?"

Still caught off guard that Marinette talked about him enough that she'd even tell this woman, Jason finds himself mumbling "I'm Jason, miss." self-consciously while still watching the black-haired girl bob through the crowd giving away energetic greetings and warm hugs.

Anarka grins, following his line of sight. "Got yourself quite the catch, eh?"

"What?" He squawks, startled. "We're not...we're really good friends. Partners, actually."

"Don't doubt it."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that most people don't realize they've climbed onto the plank until they're forced to jump off."

Jason pauses, "That still doesn't make sense."

She only smiles. "It will eventually." With that she walks away.

The red on his wrist catches his eye and with a light finger he traces the fabric before looking back up at Marinette with a small smile.

 _Yea,_ Jason thinks. _Hopefully someday this all will._

Being the only new one means that he has to go through the painful endeavor of meeting new people yet again- -Juleka and Rose, the cute lesbians, Kim and Alix, the chaotic jocks and Max, the tech nerd that was Kim's best friend- -only to realize that while in this group of strangers, taking off on a boat in a new country where superpowered villains is a norm, Jason didn't report anything for the day.

Meaning his family will be mad.

And he might disappoint Alfred, which is never a good thing.

"Red," Marinette calls him, motioning over to her and Luka. "If you're comfortable with it, he'll get you something to swim in so you're ready when we get there. Oh, you're going to love it! It's a place called Lac de Capitello and god, it's beautiful."

He agrees to it, his worry trading out for amusement as Marinette tumbles clumsily around the moving boat to check on everyone because all he can think while looking at her was _this is worth it._


	7. Tangled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if it's entirely cannon that Marinette is a bad swimmer but my sister (who is a much better fanfic writer than I am, you should check her out @eternalempires) said she was and I'm trusting her!
> 
> Hence this swimming chapter :)
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Seven

Jason is the 'son' of a billionaire that goes to Gotham Academy where every desperate teenage girl wants to be with him- -despite how many he's flipped off or said he'd sell them to the circus his brother belongs to- -and he goes to model shows, galas and knows quite beautiful women personally.

So, for fuck's sake, he shouldn't have gotten flustered when he saw Marinette walks out in her red bikini.

The sway of her hips shouldn't have made him red.

Her adorable smile when she caught sight of him in his own blue swim attire shouldn't have made him want to hide.

Nothing should be affecting him like she suddenly is, not without a good explanation, not without warning, that wasn't fair and it didn't make sense.

Jason Todd was a genius but god dammit, _that didn't make sense._

Marinette didn't seem to notice or care, even if she was bright pink and smiling rather sheepishly, because the next thing the hero knows his partner is hugging him excitedly then pointing up to the top deck.

"Wanna jump of the plank together?" She asks him. "It's kinda a tradition that Anarka made, a fun one at that."

"Sure," He agrees, hand moving up to gently trace the short braid at the back of her head held together by a black hair-tie. "Luka was telling me about a ship wreck on the side of the lake that he wants to check out. Apparently there's a way to get into the bottom by swimming and honestly Bug? I'm excited to see it."

When Jason said it in _that_ tone with _that_ boyish grin on his face, there was no way Marinette could ruin it by telling him how much of a terrible swimmer she is.

Now in agreement, the two meet the group at the top deck -Luka, Alya, Kagami, Alix and Kim waiting for them to go to the shipwreck next to the plank.

Adrien, Nino, Chloe, Max, Rose and Juleka were already in the water, staying behind to relax and talk while their more adventurous partners explored a ship that Anarka and Luka scoped out first, to make sure that it was safe as even the pirate mother had her doubts about it.

But she's never had a drowning scare when taking the kids swimming, so she thinks they'll be safe enough.

Besides this was France and Chloe could make her father, the mayor, deploy the coast guard in less than a minute if they were really in danger.

"I really didn't expect everything to be so blue," Jason tells them. "Lakes back home are just dark."

“We’re on the water," Luka, who has picked up on his boyfriend's pun habit, says, "So blue’s all you’re gonna  _ sea _ .”

Kim smirks in response, "We gotta be more _pacific_. Sometimes things will be blue _and_ green." 

"I'm gonna commit murder." Kagami says, looking Kim in the eyes.

"Don't be such a  _ beach _ ." Alix tells her, only for Luka to wave her off with a roll of his eyes, clearly tell her to stop there.

Instead of heading the warning, the skater continues on, "You can't  _ wave _ your problems away, Luka."

“I can kill my problems.” The heroine says, glaring at the couple. "Which both of you are."

"Trust me," Jason joins the fun. "It won't _kelp_."

"This," This time, to both Kagami's hindrance and Jason's shock, Marinette is the one that starts to tease them all. "Is getting a bit out of _sand._ "

At this point, Kim had to lean on Alix in order to stay standing with how hard he's laughing and even Alya was amused by all the puns -especially since it's making the ice queen angry. But it she was smiling angrily, the fact that she finds it funny only making her angrier.

"Aye, lads," Anarka calls from behind them, pointing towards the shipwreck. "Better get going if you're going to find any treasure."

Kagami dives off in perfect formation first, followed by Kim and Alix doing flips trying to outmatch each other with the athlete landing in the water flat on his back. Luka does a front flip off of the plank, shouting out "Yaho!" as he goes.

The partners look at each other with raised eyebrows, clearly asking why they're going to do to match that, making Marinette grin at him.

Grabbing his hand, she leads them aboard the plank.

"Remember the one victory dance in Clash, where the villain has a bunch of water powers and uses them to drown people?"

"Level nine!" Jason says excitedly, catching onto her trail of thought.

Marinette nods, "Well at the end when we beat it, we had to climb to the top of the underwater cave he was hiding in and jump out because of the explosion." She mimics the cave blowing up with her hands, making him snicker. "And we lock guns and do backflips and land perfectly in the water. I probably can't land perfectly, but I can certainly pretend your arm is a gun and do a backflip with you."

"Well, Killer Bug," He teasingly nudges her towards the edge. "What are you waiting for."

"Red Sniper," She just as playfully replies. "I'm waiting for you."

Holding hands, the two line up together on the edge, count down to three, then jump off together.

Jason is the first one above water- -and momentarily panics- -before he sees her head pop up, the girl herself sputtering and turning towards him with accusatory eyes. "You kicked me!"

He rolls his eyes, "You'll live."

Blue eyes narrow at him but they're called to swim over to the half sunken boat before anymore bickering can ensue -at which time both Alya and Jason seem to realize that Marinette isn't the best swimmer.

Her best friend glares at her, making the group stop on the outer edge of the wreck.

"Mari, I know you're not the best swimmer," Alya says, making Luka wince. "But I know you can hold your breath for a long time, so if were down there and you need to go up, I expect you to grab that blue haired fucker and make him drag you to the surface."

"If I'm closer I can take you too." Kim offers with a wink.

_Maybe Jason shouldn't hate the guy so much._

The heroine smiles gratefully, "I might be really slow and everything but Adrien and me taught ourselves to hold our breath under water for two minutes! Luka said it only takes a minute and a half for a really slow swimmer, so I should be just fine."

With that- -and Alya checking one last time- -the group takes a collective deep breath before dunking under water -following Luka through the water.

It was dark and murky and they were all moving so fast because it looked like a scene out of jaws that by the time any of them realized Marinette and Alix had fallen behind, they had already reached the surface.

This time, there was reason for both Jason and Kim to panic.

"How long can Alix hold her breath?" Alya asks Kim in a quiet voice, who gulps.

"Not long, but she's a really good, really fast swimmer. I don't understand -fuck this!" The athlete decides. "I'm going after her."

Jason was already in the water by the time Kim dived back down, having to go on a few under water mission in his life meant he was probably the most agile in water and could hold his breath for about five minutes.

Finally, after thirty painful second, the two boys find Alix and Marinette.

Alix's arms and Marinette's legs were tangled in net trap that deployed when Marinette accidentally kicked a wall, a second one coming out for Alix when she tried to free her friend. Marinette was desperately pulling on the ropes to free Alix, who could only squirm and kick her legs helplessly.

Kim goes right to Alix and starts to help Marinette remove the ropes as Jason dives deeper to look for something to cut the rope with.

Getting his girlfriend free, Kim motions for Marinette to keep working before pointing to the surface, Alix holding her hands over her mouth so she won't release her air.

They make it there in record time because even if he won't admit it to the others, Kim was scared.

"She-" Alix gasps. "-gave me her air." Her chest heaves and the pink haired girl looks over to Luka pleadingly, his water proof phone already held up to his ear to tell him mom. "She doesn't have a lot of time left."

"Adrien's coming." Luka announces.

The group of superheroes know all of their secret identities and knows what Chat Noir and Ladybug mean to one another, knows that they can't loose her. Adrien transformed instantly, diving into the water as a last resort if Jason couldn't get her.

Underwater, Jason didn't know what the fuck was happening but knew something was wrong- -she could hold her breath longer than that- -when Marinette started to loose air.

Old, rusted knife in hand he swims over to her only to realize that a knife would be useless if she drowned first.

Thinking fast, Jason grabs the back of her head and presses their mouths together -giving her his air. Her hands push him after a few seconds, more concerned with him being able to breathe than herself.

Then he begins cutting the rope at the base of the trap -only needing it to get off the ship, they can get the ropes off her after she reaches the surface.

He didn't want to know where it came from but there was a baton thrown at the trap, breaking it from the wall and freeing Marinette.

Jason didn't question it.

The hero just grabbed his partner and swam like hell back to the surface.

Alya helps pull Marinette from Jason's arms onto the dry ship surface, Luka and Kagami helping Jason from the water.

Coughing until he can laugh- -mostly from relief- -Jason turns over to the still gasping Marinette. "Did that count as a first kiss?"

Although the black-haired girl is trying to catch her breath she's able to turn and look over to her partner with a giggle anyway.

Jason knew first hand that life has a cruel sense of humor.

This was just proof of that.


	8. Crowbar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing this out with fluff in mind but I have a feeling it's going to get angsty. (and now that I'm back after writing it I can say that I was right, but then it took a turn to fluff again)
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Eight

After getting home, the two teens stumble up to the living room where Jason flops down on the couch, on his back to be able to watch as the black-haired girl moves around the apartment.

Throwing her bag down on the couch, then herself at his calves, Marinette sighs heavily, "That was-"

"Fun?" Jason offers.

"Yeah," The heroine giggles, turning to face her partner, who grins at her. "But I was going to say exhausting. I almost drowned, you know."

"You got two kisses in one day from two gorgeous people, don't you feel lucky?"

"If I wasn't currently drowning when I got one of them, one wasn't a snarky girl dating a idiot I've known my whole life and the other wasn't, well, _you_ , then sure."

Marinette knew that she got snarky when she was tired, which completely contradicted the cuddly nature of hers, but it did surprise the hero. This was something he must have missed because when they've stayed up together in the past, it was to play video games or Clash of Villains and when they do that, she's always murderous and quite competitive. She doesn't look like it, but when she gets killed or scared, she's either scarily methodical about her enemies demise or she gets the mouth of a sailor and goes on a blood-spree.

If her Clash of Villain character was anything like her in real life, Marinette would be more famous for the blood she spilled than Jack the Ripper.

Not that Jason was one to talk when it came to killing people...

"Do you feel like just passing out here?" He asks. She nods tiredly.

Sitting up to wrap his arm around her waist, he hums in reply and drags her on top of him -a bit too tired to care much about roommate boundaries. She grabs the blanket off the back of the couch and he chucks her hairbrush at the light switch, grateful that he gets it first try because the only other thing in arms reach to throw was Marinette herself.

Suddenly, beside him on the small sliver of couch that was left, Marinette sits up and gently touches his cheek -her blue eyes lit by the flower night light in the corner the room that made Jason think it should be illegal to look that good.

As gently as she can, the baker asks, "How did you get these scars?"

He sucks in a breath, hand coming up to hold her wrist. "Do they bother you?"

"Not at all." She doesn't say anything about his avoidance of answering the question. "When I look at you I don't see scars I just see you, you're like everyone else to me. Nothing makes you a freak to me."

During some of their late night talks, they've both confessed to feeling like a freak. To feeling different, isolated.

Like the world was balanced on their shoulders and held up by their and their knees were shaking.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Not if you're not comfortable with it."

"I just haven't..." He sighs. "I haven't really talked about it a lot before."

Laying down next to him, both her arms trapped between their bodies, Marinette yawns. "Do you want to talk about it? Whatever it is, or caused them, I won't judge."

Jason, cursing her internally, yawns in reply. "It's not that I think you'd judge me, I know you won't. This is just hard to talk about."

"Hmm...if you're okay with it, maybe just give minimal details? Start small." She offers. "That's how I talk about the really hard things I've gone through."

Which, in the case of a superhero, that was a lot.

No one will know the trauma and violence Marinette has endured for her to become this gentle.

"Okay..."

Jason Todd does something that he's never done before.

He opens up about his death.

From how the moment he walked in that building he knew something terrible was going to happen, how he was warned not to go alone. How he was tied down and kidnapped. How he was tormented and his family was threatened. How the feeling of fists and the sound of laughter became one. How the crowbar that marred his skin wasn't something he'd ever forget, just like the burning heat of the exploding building.

Even, how he died.

How he had to be brought back.

Then Jason tells her how sometimes, he hates that they brought him back, hates that he's called Zombie or Dead Boy, hates that he had to pretend to be dead for years.

The world then, was held up by four hands instead of two.

If only the world wasn't also held in the fists of people who like to break things.

As Marinette gently traces a scar going across his cheek, Jason's voice cracks and the once strong, humor filled boy becomes a war-torn man that has seen too many terrible things to call his home a good place.

"You, Jason Todd, are a amazing person." She squeezes his shoulder reassuringly. "And you deserve to be here. I'm so glad that you're alive, if that counts for everything."

Nodding, Jason hugs her tighter to him, more than thankful for her being in his life too. "It does count."

More than half the things his 'family' has said to him.

"Not to be...rude, or anything..." Marinette yawns again, snuggling further into his side. "But I'm going to fall asleep soon...and if I just stop talking...that's why."

"Just go to sleep Bug," Jason mumbles. "Knowing you, this won't be the last time we talk about this."

"Okie." The heroine sighs out, already half asleep and barely functional. "G'night Red. I love you."

Jason gulps- -about to...protest? Wake her up and ask if she meant it? Does she mean it? Is their friendship really at that level?- -but decides not to say anything, knowing she's far too tired to be remotely coherent right now.

I love you.

_When was the last time someone told him that?_


	9. Arson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Nine

**MDC** **_\- online //_ ** **JT** **_\- offline_ **

**KillerBug** _  
Where are you  
You're not home :( _

**KillerBug** _  
Did you get lost again? _

_ **MDC** **\- online //** **JT** **\- online** _

**RedSniper** _  
nah  
i didn't get lost  
_

**RedSniper** _  
my family needed to talk with me _

**KillerBug** _  
Oh  
Is it serious? _

**RedSniper** _  
no  
they're just stupid  
got mad i didn't check in the other day _

**KillerBug** _  
I didn't even think of that!  
Sorry Red :/ _

**RedSniper** _  
not ur fault _

**KillerBug** _  
Not sure if I believe that _

**KillerBug** _  
What hour did you leave? _

**RedSniper** _  
right after lunch _

**KillerBug** _  
When are you going to be back? _

**RedSniper** _  
whenever the lecture stops _

**KillerBug** _  
Want me to come pick you up?  
_

**KillerBug** _  
Chloe lives at that hotel  
Her dad owns it  
Me being there won't look weird _

**KillerBug** _  
That or you can tell them we have plans to commit arson _

**RedSniper** _  
oh that last one would definitely work better _

**RedSniper** _  
good plans Bug _

**KillerBug** _  
Why thank you :) _

**KillerBug** _  
Alrighty then, I'm coming  
But I'm not telling you what one I'm going with  
Just roll with whatever happens _

**RedSniper** _  
please be arson _

**KillerBug** _  
I'll commit arson on you :P _

**RedSniper** _  
cocky much _

**KillerBug** _  
Shush! _

**RedSniper** _  
technically i wasn't speaking _

**KillerBug** _  
I swear I could hear your voice though... _

**RedSniper** _  
that's ur subconscious  
_

**KillerBug** _  
My subconscious wants me to commit arson? _

**RedSniper** _  
obviously _

**KillerBug** _  
I might be a sadist _

**KillerBug** _  
This could become a problem _

**RedSniper** _  
only a problem if ur caught _

**KillerBug** _  
:O _

**KillerBug** _  
I might get caught!  
I'm a terrible liar _

**RedSniper** _  
ur smol tho  
means u can hide better _

**KillerBug** _  
Ah, yes  
Us shorties will rule the world one day  
By committing arson  
Then hiding _

**KillerBug** _  
But in reality we just need help reaching the top shelf _

**RedSniper** _  
well it was amusing to watch u struggle yesterday _

**KillerBug** _  
Ha ha ha  
Funny. _

**RedSniper** _  
i know i am ;) _

**MDC** **_\- offline //_ ** **JT** **_\- online_ ** **_  
_ **

**RedSniper** _  
holy shit _

**RedSniper** _  
did you see the news _

**RedSniper** _  
go back home right now Bug _

**RedSniper** _  
Bug? _

**_Calling_ lil Bug...**

**_No Answer.  
Call Again? Message._ **

**_< 3 Red is calling you..._ **

**_(1) Missed Call_ **


	10. Helpless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Ten

Jason and his family put on their suits, grabbed their weapons and was on the edge of the Eiffel tower before any of them even knew what was going on.

There were other superheroes with powers closer to Superman than their own fighting an akuma, one that had destroyed many buildings, the hotel the Wayne's were staying at included. Jason left his phone in the room and regretted it more than anything.

"I'm gonna invent a knife block that screams when you put a knife away." Robin mutters to Red Hood, who smirks, trying to act unbothered.

If his family knew everything going on inside his head while they were out in the field, he'd never hear the end of it.

"That's a human."

Beside them, Red Robin frowns and asks, "Human?"

"What's human?" Nightwing questions, knowing they're probably up to something.

"Ever heard of Julius Caesar?" Comes Robin's snarky reply. "His friends had the right idea."

"I hate you all." Red Hood says.

"Guys you didn't answer, what's a human?"

"Not you. You're an idiot."

"I think that's offensive." Before they could react, Jason punches him and knocks him into Red Robin, who almost falls off and has to grab Batman for support. "Urgh!"

“Excuse me,” The one in red is suddenly hanging over their heads, her blue eyes blinking at them behind a spotted red mask. “Um...leather bat furry? And you Red Hood, I assume who are your partners...just stay back. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

By now, because they'd been studying them to determine if they could be trusted in their help against revenge seeking Joker- -who they know is teaming with Hawkmoth- -and if not how to stop them, they all were familiar enough with the team to be able to call her Ladybug.

And determine whatever gave them powers, if they weren't magical people themselves or aliens, also did something to the human mind to make them unable to recognize who was under the mask.

Ladybug had a black suit, red chest and shoulders as well as boots and mask. Her hair was pinned up in a single bun, tight at the back of her head as her bangs hung on the edge of her eyes.

She was familiar to Jason.

That's the best he could say.

"Leather bat furry?" Batman grumbles, frowning as his cowl masks the hard glare in his eyes. "If you don't know my name how do you know Red Hoods?"

"Because he has a red hood on." Ladybug deadpans, nodding at the rest of them before jumping off the side and continuing the fight with her partner in black and another in blue.

The battle is very destructive but it goes fast once Queen Bee, who they know has made a public address that she's Chloe Bourgeois but doesn't know her partner's identity, and none of the others have ever even mentioned or stuck around to truly be questioned about who they are.

That's smart.

Unlike anything they've ever seen in Gotham, the damage is fixed instantly but the people are still left outside the hotel and to search for their loved one. Only very serious injuries and death isn't completely reversed but changed into something lesser. It was amazing.

And confusing.

Jason Todd was curious about these superheroes and their powers but all he could think about at the moment was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

He was worried.

She was worried to.

Marinette just knew that her partner was in the hotel when the attack happened, knew that when she called him back and he didn't answer, she felt more helpless than she ever has before. If anything happened to him because she, as Ladybug, didn't act fast enough -she didn't even want to think about it.

Detransforming in the bakery, her friends now waiting there for her, Marinette leaves everything there -her phone, her purse, her jacket and even Tikki whose eating cookies to regain energy.

"Mari!" Adrien calls after her, throwing the door open. "Hawkmoth is still active, you shouldn't-"

She ignores him and just keeps running, Chloe recognizing the direction she's heading instantly.

_Le Grand Paris._

Where confusion and worries brewed in a giant crowd of three hundred, the two heroes rushed to find each other -Jason had seen that she tried to call him, that they missed each other.

From the crowd, she catches sight of Bruce Wayne first, since nobody wants to get close to him and the two brawling kids- -Tim and Damian- -in front of him.

But Jason wasn't there.

Because he was looking for her.

"Mr. Wayne!" Marinette calls out, still stumbling over herself as she calls out to him. "Where's Jay?"

Dick points behind her and the heroine instantly turns on heel, bluebell eyes searching through the crowd until she seeks the top of his head -distinguishable by the black hair parted by a white streak. Not bothering to call out, as Jason catches sight of her too, Marinette runs to him.

Catching each other in the arms, they clutch onto their partner -relief flooding both their system that the adrenaline buzzing in their ears seems to deafen them for a moment.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." Marinette scolds him, one arm over his shoulder and one hand buried in his hair as she stood on her toes to properly hug him. "Do you understand that? Never again."

Jason nods, holding her tighter. "I'll stay safe."

"I can't lose somebody else Jason."

All her friends have fought by her side, she has eyes on them and knows where they are during every akuma attack. Jason was different and as a civilian, she couldn't pick him out of the crowd to be the only one that stays safe.

That feeling- -the pit in her stomach, the previously rarely experienced helplessness, the worry- -it was terrifying.

By now, the boy who is her best friend, her partner, is family.

Her parents would be the last people in her family she ever lost to miscommunication during a crisis.

"I know, I know." He pauses, jaw clenching. "Me either."

Marinette asks, "Please, can we go home?"

"Definitely." He agrees. Then freezes, and realized he's _screwed_ because the only reason he calls it home is because she's in it.

The walk back to the bakery is silent and when they get there, Luka and Kagami are curled up on the couches, Alya on beanbag -Adrien, Nino and Chloe piled into the spare room. They're all tired from today, from the worry and the waiting. From their leader acting more frantic than she has in a long while.

Everyone knew that they had to do something, stop Hawkmoth now that he's reaching out and forming allies. So they made a plan.

Nobody, not a single person, likes the plan that they came up with. But it's practical, useful, and a smart one. It's also scary. Because if they don't defeat him and do this, their country and the superheroes are at steak. Now Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste were in more danger than ever.

And Marinette is the center of it all, to protect him and Paris.

Creating more secrets is never a good thing, hiding things and sneaking around creates suspicion heroes can't explain away.

If she doesn't lose Jason from an accident she's scared she'll lose him by doing this -not knowing he knows what it's like.

Not knowing he could help without being in extra danger.

Not willing to separate for the night, the two sit down on her chaise lounge in her room, legs brushing. Jason is collapsed back and Marinette is siting up, hands clasped.

"I died." Is the surprising thing Marinette chooses to whisper out. "Last year."

The hero sits up, turning to face her by sitting with a leg on either side of the lounge. He doesn't know what to say, so he lets her continue -if she was telling him this he wasn't going to be the one to make it harder for her by asking questions.

After all, he knows what it's like.

"It wasn't as traumatizing as what you went through, I don't even have scars, but I've died before. I've had a few close calls, really close calls, but I've only died once. It was during an akuma attack. I don't remember much from that day but it was really...cold. Then I woke up in the hospital and I thought -I thought my parents were there, at first. I swear I saw them." 

She chokes on her emotions, fists clenching on her thighs.

"But they weren't. It was just me, I was alone." 

"You won't be alone like that ever again." Jason declares, hands coming up to cup her face. "I promise."

She nods, black hair falling in front of her eyes.

Marinette loves the domestic sweetness she has with Jason. 

The ease in which they fell together in place long before they were even in the same home. 

How they talked so casually to each other about things the other couldn't understand, like his math and languages and her designs and the patterns she sees everywhere. How once they started living together, they didn't have to make a schedule or plans or worry. 

They just lived. 

If they cooked dinner together or got take out because they were too busy playing videos that always ended with loud laughter and wrestling with each other whether their cheeks were full or not. Doing laundry and cleaning was fun because they knew how to have fun. 

He taught her how to make his mother's favorite dishes and she taught him how to bake -but he always burns the simplest kinds of cookies. Finishing each other's homework was easy and it made them laugh if they misspelled simple words or got the smallest, easiest kinds of math wrong because they knew the other one could do this and brains were just weird sometimes. 

The walks to school where he'd lift her over puddles and the walks back where she'd splash them both by jumping in them, it just felt natural because _what else would they do?_

They trusted each other with everything they could afford to and wished more than everything to be able to confide in each other completely.

"Red can you just..." The heroine could scream with how heavy her heart feels in her chest. "For tonight, just stay with me?"

Nothing has happened yet but she could feel the air changing around them, as if the Universe is prepared for what was about to happen.

Jason easily responds, "Of course."

He doesn't know what's happening, what exactly made that exhausted look creep back into her eyes, but he'd be here for her through anything.

Unlike normal, the don't play games, but stay back to back in her bed, facing their phones with the covers pulled over them, painful topics on their minds.

And their hands held between them.


	11. Missing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the suspense and angst!!!   
> I'll update again soon :)
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Eleven

**_Superpowered Idiots & Mari & Luka  
7 active 0 offline_ **

**Avatar** _  
So we're all on the same page. _

**Rockstar** _  
yeah :/ _

**For Fox Sake** _  
I'll agree to this, but only if we're all transformed  
And ready to pull her out if that crazy dick tries anything >:( _

**Mari :P** _  
That'd actually be relieving  
Remember, when I'm gone Adri is in charge _

**Blondie** _  
I know every inch of that house  
And my father... _

**Rockstar** _  
meaning for this, he's the best mission leader _

**Lesbeean** _  
Agreed! _

**Mari :P** _  
I have to go and figure out what to tell Jay _

**Mari :P** _  
Lying doesn't suit me _

**nino** _  
but saving lives does _

**Rockstar** _  
excuses for jule and mom:  
friend's house  
hooking up with Sunshine  
bakery  
doing drugs  
school stuff  
musical inspiration  
I tell them I'm ladybug _

**Blondie** _  
I honestly can't decide whether to be offended or worry _

**Avatar** _  
Worry. _

**nino** _  
yeech dude  
I hate that u text like that _

**Avatar** _  
Like what. _

**Lesbeean** _  
Ignore him babe!  
_

**Lesbeean** _  
You're perfect!!!! _

**Mari :P** _  
AHHHH  
He's out of the shower :O _

**For Fox Sake** _  
You got this girl >:)  
I believe in you! _

**Mari :P** _  
He's overprotective and already on edge  
_

**Mari :P** _  
Wish me luck! _

**Blondie** _  
Wouldn't ask a black chat for that Bugaboo _

**Lesbeean** _  
Good luck!!! _

**nino** _  
luck _

**Avatar** _  
Good luck. _

**Rockstar** _  
it'll work out _

**Mari :P** _  
I hope so :) _

**_Superpowered Idiots & Mari & Luka_ ** **_  
_ ** _ 3 active 4 offline _

**Avatar  
** _ Can’t find Chole.  
_ _ Someone who isn’t here please help. _

**For Fox Sake  
** _ Help urself I hate her >:( _

**nino  
** _ r u being serious  
_ _ or is chloe legit missing?  
_ _ did u tell Mari? _

**Avatar  
** _ Do I look stupid. _

**For Fox Sake  
** _ Yes _

**Blondie  
** _ No we didn’t tell Mari this is a gc _

**Avatar  
** _ Chlo tried to walk home.  
_ _ We are at her house. _

**nino  
** _ did u check the mailbox  
_ _ dude loves checking her mail _

**Avatar  
** _ No I didn’t that’s stupid.  
_ _ Wait _

**Mari :P  
** _ Do you need me to help? _

**Blondie  
** _ No I found her on the mailbox, still drunk and talking weird _

**nino  
** _ oh night then don’t care anymore _

**For Fox Sake  
** _ You should put her back >:) _

**Mari :P  
_Adrien is she actually okay?_  
** _ Get her to bed please :) _

**Mari :P** _  
_ _ Night dude! _

**Lesbeean  
** _ gt w8std, dnt wry  
_

**Lesbeean** _  
y ru sil up???! _

**Lesbeean** _  
tmrww is bif day! _

**Rockstar  
** _ guys I’m trying to sleep :/  
_ _ and you’re blowing up my phone _

**Avatar  
** _ Well at least you’re getting blown in some way since your boyfriend is with us. _

**Blondie** _  
*Le Gasp* _

**Rockstar** _  
I'll make you gasp more later  
promise ;) _

**Mari :P** _  
Bicker/flirt in private please :) _

**Mari :P** _  
I need the sleep _

_**Superpowered Idiots & Mari & Luka** **  
** 1 active 6 offline _

**Mari :P** _  
Checking in :)  
Is everyone in place? _

**Lesbeean** _  
Me and Kiki are!!  
_

**Lesbeean** _  
Also sorry about last night...  
I was just so stressed! _

**For Fox Sake** _  
You were a mess and almost died  
I loved the show _

**For Fox Sake** _  
Got my popcorn ready _

**nino** _  
ANYWAY _

**nino** _  
me and alya are in place  
dude? _

**Blondie** _  
Yeah? _

**Rockstar** _  
we're in place  
I really don't like this :/ _

**Lesbeean** _  
Same! _

**For Fox Sake** _  
Same >:( _

**Blondie** _  
Same _

**Rockstar** _  
same :/ _

**nino** _  
dudes we agreed this is what needs to be done  
_

**nino** _  
to protect paris and my bro  
mari can handle this _

**Avatar** _  
Nino is right.  
Marinette needs to do this. _

**Avatar** _  
If we continue to doubt ourselves,  
And every plan we make we will never succeed.  
Failure is out of the question. _

**Mari :P** _  
They're both right  
I have to do this _

**Mari :P** _  
And I know nobody likes it :(  
_

**Mari :P** _  
But if Hawkmoth, Adrien's actual father, is willing to hurt Adri to get what he wants...  
_

**Rockstar** _  
it means he's desperate _

**Avatar** _  
And that makes him weak. _

**Lesbeean** _  
So let's kick his ass! _

**Blondie** _  
Wait, what did you tell Jason? _

**Mari :P** _  
That I had to do work  
It's not exactly a lie _

**Mari :P** _  
I really do hate saying these things when I trust him so much  
But Luka is right, Gabriel is desperate  
And he has Joker with him and Jay gets enough of that at home _

**For Fox Sake** _  
If he texts me what do I say? D: _

**nino** _  
that she's not answering you either  
cause she's at work _

**Avatar** _  
Stick to the story.  
This is Marinette's call. _

**Mari :P** _  
Too late to go back now, the doors are opening _

**Mari :P** _  
I'll text you when I'm out :) _


	12. Undercover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started this going "Can't leave them on a cliffhanger that's so fucking rude :(" and now I'm back after finishing it and whoo boy, was I right.   
> It is rude.   
> So I apologize because this is a cliffhanger and a big one.
> 
> But hooty hoo, dipshits, there's a reason for that.  
> Strap in and enjoy the ride.
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Twelve

Stepping into the Agreste mansion made Marinette... _uncomfortable._

The heroine knows that Gabriel is Hawkmoth and knows that Jack Napier, his new 'assistant' after Natalie quit working for him, was the Joker.

That's why Adrien is wearing the earrings and Luka has the ring, because she's not even willing to take the risk of handing one of the most powerful miraculous over. Now, she's waiting for Nino to drop in and deliver the Mouse miraculous to her when need be -a miraculous a few people, if they dig hard enough, could find out she already wore.

They weren't taking any chances.

Even having a single miraculous on her was dangerous.

As the guardian, she felt terribly guilty about this but she knew being Ladybug and the guardian was a double sided sword. That's why, since he became Carapace, she and Fu have been training him to take over seamlessly if anything would happen.

Marinette is Adrien's partner, he's her Chat Noir, she trusts him with her life and protecting Paris but she's also known Nino since she was in Maternelle and she trusted him with the kwami's more. He was the protector, after all.

When he's pretending to be something he's not, Jack almost looks normal -if that was possible for a homicidal psychopathic criminal.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng, why don't you introduce yourself." Gabriel tells her, lips still in that constant thin line. "It would only be polite."

The supervillain knew that she was only there because he made a deal that if he could have her help him design instead of Adrien as a model, he wouldn't seek his son out and force his hand. Marinette didn't want to know what force from him would look like and Gabriel wanted the girl around as potential leverage against the heroes -he knew Adrien was Chat Noir.

But as long as Adrien didn't expose his father as Hawkmoth, Gabriel didn't reveal his son as Chat.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." The heroine says, holding her hand out.

“You look quite like my girl at this age, even got the hair.” He clasps her on the shoulder- -ignoring her hand to do so- -and Marinette stops herself from flinching, not even looking scared; just intrigued. “So come on Pigtails, you should stay with me for the day. We have a...costume to work on.”

She doesn't like the way he smiles at her.

It was after cutting fabric for a blue suit that Marinette made the connection who it reminded her of -Mayura.

Because it was missing for so long, Marinette had never seen the Peacock miraculous in person before but at that moment she was sure, _so sure_ , that the broach on Jack's hat is it.

"Jack?" She asks him. "Do you plan for me to make a hat to go along with it? Mr. Agreste can tell you, I am quite good at making hats."

"Well, Gabe," Jack laughs, spinning the bat- -that Marinette, who had tried to rid of her nerves by focusing on the clothing, hadn't notice him grab- -around his forearm. "Is it true?"

He confirms it, grey eyes narrowed suspiciously at the black-haired girl. 

"First I must ask," The insane man chuckles out cockily, hat now twirled on the end of his bat. "What's scarier than Batman?"

Thinking for a moment how he must spend too much time around the Riddler, Marinette answers, "The IRS."

“Excellent answer, my dear.”

Now the bat was swinging towards her and she nearly expects him to knock her out, but instead it stops inches from her face and Jack waits for her to take it off the end -giggling with glee when he does only to be pulled away by Gabriel harshly seconds later.

With the hat in hand, pulling out her measuring tools and notebook that she hides her phone behind, she acts like she's taking notes and sketching when she's really telling Alya to alert the Ladyblog of a fake akuma near the Agreste mansion. Gabriel would be confused, Marinette would pretend to freak out and run away.

Or she hoped it would go like that, anyway.

Her phone rings loudly with the alert, catching all their attention, Marinette herself didn't know it was up that loud and doesn't even have to fake her startled jump.

"There's an akuma, Mr. Agreste!" She exclaims, flicking through the fake article with the hat tucked between her sketch book, arm and side. "I really should get back to the bakery, my friend is picking up the shift and I need to make sure they're okay! I'll come back tomorrow and show you my notes, half the rough suit is already done, please tweak it when I'm gone."

"Miss Dupain-Cheng!"

Gabriel shouts her name, sounding mad and exasperated, but she keeps walking at her brisk pace.

That was until the gunshot ran out beside her, the bullet just grazing her head. The determined heroine stumbles to her knees for a second, other hand coming up to touch her bleeding temple, before completely booking it past Gabriel and Jack -whose small gun only held one bullet at a time.

She was more than aware that while Gabriel was transforming, the Joker would be chasing her with a better gun through the mansion.

Luckily, all the years of sneaking Adrien out payed off, as she's able to double back and fly through the front doors before catching sight of the deranged, now shouting lunatic. He has the bat again, meaning he's in the mood for blood instead of death.

Just her luck.

Marinette knew that now that Gabriel was transformed and people were probably panicking over a fake akuma, he was itching to make a real one and get his revenge. If Jack didn't kill her first anyway.

_ Not a good plan,  _ she scolds herself.  _ Not a good plan! _

When she dunked behind the Agreste car, Jack started shooting at it. Covering her head with her hands, Marinette realizes that at the moment, she's not bullet proof and should have definitely dunked behind the bulletproof limo instead.

_ Today is just not a good day for live saving decisions,  _ the heroine decides, finding it a bit ironic that she could retrieve a miraculous as a civilian and die for it but not live and do good as a superhero.

"Three akumas!" Queen Bee screams, launching herself overhead. "Hellfire-"

A ball of flames hits her before she could respond, Ryuko using her powers to put out the fire but then another one- -calling herself Crusher- -is slamming two wrecking balls she has as hands into the heroines.  They don't get up, but are moving, Crusher goes to hit them again but Carapace jumps over them, calling on his shield to protect them. Meaning he can't take it down to give Marinette her miraculous without getting them killed.

Hellfire was chasing Alya, who was using her powers to confuse him and lead him away from the main fight but that wouldn't last forever.

The last one was one with a sword with ice powers that put Beetle's dueling skills and Chat Bleu's defense to the test.

Gabriel must know something is up, that if they get this, they'll win.

He's never been this desperate before, to forcible transform three times and create so many akumas at once without help from Duusu.

It's left up to Luka and Adrien now, who are Chat Bleu and Beetle- -what civilians got used to for the month Marinette couldn't be a hero after her parents died- -at the moment, meaning no redo.

The fact that Bunny-X wasn't coming back and changing anything meant there was still hope but Marinette didn't have a miraculous at the moment, if she died they could still win and she knew the goal was to change the timeline as little as possible to whatever means necessary.

Too caught up in all her senses and fear and adrenaline from being in a deadly fight without a miraculous and protecting a miraculous, as well as trying to pay attention to her team, that she didn't notice the gunfire stop- -half due to the ringing of her ears- -and the bat coming down from her from the top of the car until it was smashing into her wrist that she was barely able to put up to protect her face.

She screams.

This wasn't like the other times she was hurt, no miraculous cure would fix this, her suit wasn't dulling the pain.

Marinette couldn't protect herself and now she had a broken wrist, scrambling back on the ground as Joker jumped down -only freezing as he pointed the gun to her.

“I’m insane-”

Marinette interrupts him, chin held high as the miraculous and Duusu clutched close to her chest, her having ripped it off the hat as she went. “No you’re not.”

The joker turns to her, gun pointed right at her heart. “What did you say?”

“You’re not insane.” She speaks confidently, even as she trembles. “Insanity is doing the same thing over a-and over again and expecting a different result. You don’t expect a different result, you’re smart enough to k-know the results you generate and mentally deranged enough to like the results. _Crazy,_ because of how mentally deranged you are, along with probably a lot of undiagnosed illnesses, but not insane.”

He hums, twirling his gun until nudging it under her chin to tilt her face up. “Insane or crazy or batshit dumb, you should be scared of me.”

“I’m not.”

“I have a question,” The Joker grins smugly. “Do you want to die smiling or screaming?”

“Screaming,” Marinette doesn’t hesitate, gulping. “If you die screaming people notice and I’m not going to be just another pretty face.”

“Oh?” Intrigued, and thinking she’s completely trapped, the Joker lowers his gun and leans into her. “You sound oddly confident Pigtails, have a death wish?”

She gulps.

All she can see is Crusher breaking down Carapace's shield, slowly making way to three of her friends. All she can hear is Rena Rogue's, her best friend's, flute sound out as she desperately tries to save lives. All she can feel is the strain of her heart, being connected to Tikki and Adrien for so long she knew when he's in peril.

But she was staring down the barrel of a gun, the cold metal pressed to the top of her neck.

Gotham's heroes jump down from the gate, Red Robin walking through it after hacking the mainframe of the security, and stand behind them, and Marinette can tell something knew is happening but doesn't dare move.

Jack Napier, the sadist, grins and points his gun at her temple, fingers gripping her chin harshly. "How sweet of you to join us! I was just about to shoot your pretty girlfriend through the throat, Jay Bird, now you get to watch."  


Much to his disappointment, the heroine doesn't beg for release as he cocks the pistol, she doesn't scream as she's jerked back-to-chest to face the saviors.

_ Jay Bird. _

That's what he said, he looked at Red Hood, he smirked, and he called him Jay Bird.

"Jason." Marinette gasps out, chest heaving as the hero flinches back at hearing his name, paling under the cap. "Jason don't-"

The Joker wraps his hand around her mouth, cutting her off as he digs the gun harder against the temple. "It would appear the love was unrequited."

Marinette's eyes squeeze shut, tears streaming down her cheek. 

_ That's not true,  _ she would say. _ It's not true at all. _

Her confession would not be a dying one.

Opening her hands, she lets Duusu speed off with his broach in hand, and being the only person the savior of Paris has called out for, he flies into Jason's leather jacket to hide.

"I'll tell you what," Now seething, noticing the exchange with disgust. Even as she was in his control, this _pathetic_ , _fragile_ _girl_ managed to outsmart him. "You give me back that creature and it's jewel and I'll spare her life. Not that I won't return for it later. Fool me once, as they say."

As best as she could manage, Marinette shakes her head, eyes opening to plead to the Red Hood, not to let that happen.

There will always be more Ladybugs, there will always be another guardian but there will not always be moments like this where a stolen miraculous and abused kwami could be saved.

Even Batman and Robin stayed silent, knowing what the black-haired girl means to Jason, this wasn't their decision to make, not at all.

And Red Hood did have a decision to make.


	13. Icarus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh sorry, sorry, sorry, here's your Please Don't Yell At Me This Is For The Plot Chapter.
> 
> Also, I should mention I'm not good at action scenes and that's also a lot of what this chapter is so I'm sorry again if the quality goes downhill extremely fast.
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Thirteen

Every thought in Jason's mind was a chaotic mess, he had a hard time not breaking down or passing out himself, it was all just _what is happening, why is it happening, why, why her, what is she doing here with him, why, why, why!_

Follow every instinct in his to save his girl, his best friend and partner but give up something she was clearly willing to die for or keep this precious thing safe and risk her dying.

If he didn't do something, she was going to die.

That was fact.

Jason Todd swears on his life that Marinette is his Achilles heel. 

He never thought this would happen, never thought his partner's life would be held between his and the Joker's hands. He felt _cold._

Making this decision felt like a punishment, it was unfair, he was eighteen, he loved her, she made him happy in a way he didn't know he could be. Everything about her drew him in from the start, as a friend, then a partner, then something more that didn't even need to be defined. With her, the hero drops his guard. This shouldn't be happened, not to them. They took each other into their hearts no strings attached, no expectations. 

He's Icarus and she's _not_ the sun, but the ocean that catches him when he falls.

_How could he lose that?_

"Time's almost up," Joker smirks, hand tightening on Marinette's face -bruisingly so. "Better decide quick. Bullets are impatient."

Marinette had one job; protect people.

But she also strives to be positive and peaceful.

And she messed that up. She had one job. And she messed her goals up. The famous heroine of Paris couldn't do either of those thing right this time, not one. These are simple things, most of the time, they're for everyone's well being.

Justice wasn't on Marinette's mind.

Because she knew if the roles were reversed, if Jason was the one in the Joker's clutches and she had to give up a miraculous to save him...she would.

Yes, she would save him. Yes, she would chose him over the world. It wouldn't be right and she knew her partner wouldn't agree with it- -and hopes he doesn't do the same- -but she would do it.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng would give up the world to save Jason Todd.

It was the most selfish thing she thought she was capable of doing. She wouldn't listen to him or her team and do what they said. She'd lose respect.

So she pleads to him silently, praying to a God she doesn't believe in, for him not to decide the same thing. She shakes her head until Joker forces her to go still, she looks defeated at Duusu whose crying too.

At the moment, Jason was Atlas holding up the world.

Jack Napier found it amusing how easy worlds crumble when they think they're invincible.

The gun in Jason's hands tremored just like his hand, but he knew if The Joker thought Red Hood was honestly going to shoot him, he would have already shot Marinette.

"We'll give you them," Batman says making the decision that wasn't his to make. "Let her go first."

As he speaks, Robin and Nightwing go on either side, surrounding the supervillain on every side save for the one the car is on.

"Ah, ah, ah, Batty," He sneers, pulling his gun away from the heroine's temple to wave at him. "I know better than that. I'm crazy, not stupid. Five... four... th-"

A figure unfamiliar to the Gotham heroes lands on top of the car, cane coming down to tap Jack on the shoulder -making Marinette finally flinch. "We need her alive, you have no idea how valuable this girl is." Hawkmoth, all too gratefully, steps off the car while rolling his eyes at the heroes. "If only you knew who you were trying to protect. She doesn't break."

"Well, not in some areas." Laughing, the Joker squeezes her broken wrist, causing her to release a muffled scream into his other hand. "But she's quite malleable in others."

"What do you want from her?" Red Hood chokes out, feeling so out of place that he almost takes off his helmet just to breath easier. "How is she valuable to you?"

Hawkmoth looks at him with a thin lipped smile, head shaking slightly. "This girl knows...everything. Isn't that right Miss Dupain-Cheng?"

As if on cue, the Joker releases his hand on her mouth and drops her to the ground between the two wicked men.

The heroine gasps, holding her now limp arm to her chest, only have to move back once in order to rest against the car. "I know things you d-don't. Like where your w-wife is."

Instantly, Hawkmoth goes to hit her with the cane but the Joker scoffs at him playfully, grabbing the end of it. "Now, now, what is it you said? We need her alive? I'm all to happy to break her in more...appropriate ways."

Now, with the gun not pressed to Marinette's temple, Jason fires his gun right at Jack Napier's forehead. But the taller man covers him, the bullet shattering on his chest. It only makes him mad. A purple haze comes around his eyes. "Now, Hellfire."

With no hesitance, Hellfire sends a flaming ball towards Batman -hitting both him and Red Robin with it. Robin leaps after his father and brother who were sent flying by the hit, using their capes to put them out.

Never before has Marinette felt both useless, helpless and defeated at the same time.

Hellfire was here.

That means Rena Rogue- -Alya- -is defeated.

Her best friend might be dead right now and there's nothing she could do about that.

Hawkmoth comes at Red Hood swinging his cane, a single hit the hero is too slow to doge sending him flying into the limo -back hitting it, knocking the wind out of him.

The Joker, loving this, walks towards Robin and Batman- -Red Robin now incapacitated- -with a loud laugh, "All your little birdies wings will be clipped today, Batty! Oh, Dark Knight, how Gotham will miss you so."

 _This is why Bruce hates magic,_ he remembers that now.

Marinette realizes, in that moment, Duusu was in front of her, speaking as he puts his miraculous in Marinette's hand. "Say, spread my feathers, Miss, please." The kwami hugs her cheek. "Knock out of it."

Jason did let him go, even though he got Hawkmoth to beat him to get the miraculous back.

 _Oh Jason,_ Marinette thinks, _you idiot._

"Duusu," The black-haired girl commands. "Spread my wings."

Too tired to do a proper transformation, Marinette stays still as the blue light overtakes her -the suit instantly giving her more energy and making her injuries easier to manage.

Flicking the fan out, a weapon she absolutely has no idea how to use, the heroine knocks the cane out of Hawkmoth's hand.

The now royally pissed supervillain drops Red Hood to the ground, where he collapses -unmoving. Marinette's heart clenches at the sight.

"You have tricked me for the last time today." He snarls.

"I'm not sure that's true." With a single hand out, Marinette calls the fan back to her and pulls a feather from it. "If you'll remember, we both have powers now. And I have more options than you."

Plucking five feathers from the fan, she cups her hand -challenging the energy that is pure white, instead of black, into the blue feathers. Hand held straight, she blows on the feathers and sends them where they need to go. Wind picks them up like she knew it would, these things always happen when they're supposed to if you have both magic and hope, and hits her targets with them.

Hellfire.

Crusher.

Icepick. 

Jack Napier.

Carapace.

Closing her eyes, she finds connection with them, how most are frozen- -the akumas not needing any manipulation, Nino barely able to fight by exhaustedly protective everyone- -but Jack? Jack tries to fight it. And him pausing to do that is all Batman needs to knock him out.

"Come here." She tells the akumas, then gives Nino a different command. "Take your team home. Keep them safe."

It was strange, wearing this miraculous, everything was duller like a grey film was put over it, her shoulders felt much, much lighter than when she was Ladybug and the connections she made with her amoks, as well as the disgust she had at controlling them, make her stomach twist and eyes burn.

With the three amoks now standing around them, Marinette's passion and need for protection overweighing Hawkmoth's cruel power, the heroine raises her chin and asks, "Is this a battle you still want to fight?"

"I won't stop." He promises her. "And by the time I'm back, you won't have a miraculous anymore. Helpless is what you'll be, _Campanule._ "

_Bluebell._

He was mocking her, even now.

"Leave." Marinette demands -not able to do much more than watch as Hawkmoth brings Jack up and knock him from the spell. “I think you know better than anyone, Joker, that you need to play a crazy fool to trick a smart man. This won't be the last time you're tricked.

The Joker replies slurring, “That smart man is not the kind of fool to be fooling around with, Pigtails.”

“If I thought it would change anything, I’d correct you.”

Beetle and Chat Bleu work overhead to quickly collect the akumas before Marinette's- -bleeding, broken and tired Marinette- -strong hold on them fizzle out. Closer her eyes she thinks, thinks and thinks about them staying still.

"We're done Mari!" Beetle calls out, jumping in front of her. "Everyone's safe now."

"Everyone?" She mumbles out, swaying as she takes note of Red Hood in Chat Bleu's arms and Red Robin in Batman's. "That's...good."

And that moment?

It's when the ground sways under her, the sounds and voices around her turns to one white noise, her sight blurs.

Then she collapses.


	14. Liar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Fourteen

**AC** ** _-_** **_online //_** **JT** ** _\- online_**

 **A. Cesaire** _  
Give me one good reason not to rip your balls off >:(  
_

 **A. Cesaire** _  
What the fuck are you thinking  
_

 **A. Cesaire** _  
Call Marinette back right now  
Or at least call her! _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
my brother stole my phone _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
and my dad thinks she's a liar  
or at least hiding something _

**A. Cesaire** _  
Bullshit! _

**A. Cesaire** _  
She's not a fucking liar >:(  
All she is right now _

**A. Cesaire** _  
IS HEARTBROKEN _

**A. Cesaire** _  
At least let her know you're okay  
She's ready to storm your hotel room  
Why did you even even disappear like that?!? _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
trust me i fucking know she's not a liar _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
just tell her not to worry  
i'm trying to figure everything out _

**A. Cesaire** _  
Figure it out fast  
I'm not patient _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
i don't give a fuck what you are _

**A. Cesaire** _  
But you care about her  
And she's hurting >:( _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
i want to see her  
i'm not allowed out  
_

 **Mari’s Amour** _  
not until my uncle gets here at least _

**A. Cesaire** _  
Why??? _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
he's a reporter _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
we have something to figure out _

**A. Cesaire** _  
HEY DUMBASS THE REPORTER EXCUSE DOESN'T WORK ON ME  
I FUCKING AM ONE _

**A. Cesaire** _  
Seriously what is wrong with you! _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
unless you have anything better to do  
than be this fucking annoying _

**Mari’s Amour** _  
i'm going to ignore you now  
tell Mari not to worry  
_

 **Mari’s Amour** _  
please _

**A. Cesaire**   
1\. Fuck you!  
2\. I'll try >:(


	15. Protect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Fifteen

It was Chloe Bourgeois who gave Marinette access to the secure wing of Le Grand Paris that Bruce Wayne bought out, all for the promise that the aspiring fashion designer would make the spoiled blond two matching jackets for herself and her girlfriend.

Alfred Pennyworth was in the hall about to deliver food when Marinette walked in, making her freeze but the butler simply gave a half bow told her "Master Bruce, Master Damian and Master Jason are in three-eleven-B." then walked into Tim Drake's room without another word.

This was strange, but Marinette knew that Alfred was in leagues with Master Fu -which now with what the heroine knows about who Gotham heroes are, makes sense.

She didn't care if he was one of Gotham's heroes.

The son of Batman.

Or Red Hood himself.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was going to see Jason Todd.

Because, no matter what he's done or been through, no matter who his family is or what kind of power they think they have Paris is _her_ city and Jason is _her_ partner.

She'd be damned if someone like Bruce Wayne was going to change that.

Marinette already knew from the profile she had Kagami put together that Bruce wouldn't open up the door or give her any trust whatsoever, Tim wouldn't be of help and they'd both stop Jason. Alfred was always a backup but for now, Damian was the target.

The assassin was young and strict, a mini-version of Batman himself, but he had one weakness: animals.

So as she bangs on their door the black-haired girl shouts, "Damian Wayne you open this door right now and I'll show you three newly born kittens! One's name is-"

And she doesn't even have to finish the sentence, as there Damian stands, a blank look on his face and a cruel one in his green eyes. "It's a deal. Go back on it and I'll stab you."

"That's enough Damian," Bruce instructs, standing with his arms crossed to block Marinette from the other side of the room -where she assumed Jason was. "You know who we are but that does not mean we trust you, in fact quite the opposite, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Now leave."

"No." Marinette snaps, stepping inside and shutting the door behind her -Damian shrugging and walking down to Dick's room. "I'm staying. I don't need your trust, I need my own and I know how to keep a secret. You're the only one here who doesn't know what he's messing with and I'm sick of grown ass men underestimating me. Now get out of my way before I make you."

Something tells Bruce that the look in this small girl's eye isn't something to mess with, much how sometimes people see the clumsy Clark Kent and still flinch without knowing he's Superman.

He respects that look.

Even if he doesn't trust the girl.

As soon as Bruce takes a step to the side Marinette steps fully into the room and looks around until she finds Jason in the corner -sitting sprawled out on a chair, asleep with one arm resting across his bandaged ribs.

"Jason!" Marinette gasps out, rushing to him and wraps her arms around his neck, holding their bodies tight together.

This was worse, so much worse than when the hotel went down and she thought he was in it because _this was her fault_ and the miraculous didn't cure everything, Adrien isn't powerful enough or experienced with the ladybug miraculous when he has to use his powers for that, she should have been there.

"Bug," Jason gasps- -quite used to the oddness the painkillers made him feel- -startling awake and pulling her closer with his free arm. "Bug. You're here. Fuck, thank god," He pulls away, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I thought...you could have died. That was so stupid, that was fucking stupid, you dumb little Bug. I could have lost you. I could have lost you!"

All she can do is shake her head and hold him tighter. "You won't lose me, Jay."

 _If you let him go,_ a voice sneers in her head, _he'll leave you for good._

"What were you thinking?" The hero quietly asks her, wiping gently at his partner's tears.

"I can explain everything but I..." She looks back to Bruce. "I only trust you."

"B." Jason says stiffly.

Bruce gets the message and leaves the room but only after promising that he does, in fact, have camera's in the room and he'd know if something goes wrong.

The peacock miraculous is in the Miracle Box with the other unused ones, safe for the first time in a very last time. The only one they need now is Hawkmoth's.

Tikki and Marinette had a lengthy conversation about her revealing herself to Jason, as it would make everything, including living together, much easier and after a while, the kwami agreed. As did Adrien and Plagg, though Plagg agreed without even hearing the end of the argument and was lectured by his other half for a longer time than the original discussion was going to take.

Only Adrien, Chat Noir, know who the Gotham's are since Marinette and him promised long ago to never keep another secret but the rest don't know about this or her reveal.

They're the side kicks and this definitely isn't information they need to know.

Though Nino's back-up guardian status did allow him to be told that Jason Todd was going to know about the ladybug miraculous but not why or when.

"I'm...I'm Ladybug." Marinette tells him, watching him carefully -but the second the secret slipped out Jason put up his walls and became unreadable to the heroine. "It's my job, my duty, to protect the kwami's and the miraculous they guard. This is Tikki," The red kwami flies out from behind her master, bowing gracefully to him. "She's my kwami. They're all...think of them as gods. She's the goddess of creation, that's how I'm able to do what I do."

"Are...are you still human?" He asks softly, electric blue eyes searching her own. "I've watched videos of you, countless ones, as Ladybug. If you're human...you shouldn't have survived some of those things."

Marinette nods, "I'm still human. When I transform, Tikki shares her power with me and I become stronger, my senses get better. My suit is nearly indestructible. But I can still be hurt, I still bleed red..." She pauses. "And out of the suit, I'm just me. Clumsy. Able to bruise. Break."

As an example she holds up her wrist with the red cast on it, making Jason's eyes narrow in anger at the sight.

"Why didn't you...transform, as you said, when the Joker had you? With um, Tikki, or the blue one sooner?" He scoffs. "You put yourself in unnecessary danger."

"I didn't have my miraculous with me, it was too risky to take one in with me with Jack and Gabriel there, knowing who they are." The heroine starts to ramble like this is nothing but Jason freezes at the use of both the supervillain's first names. "Dusuu was exhausted and I was worried I was going to hurt him by transforming, and that miraculous is...it's damaged, Jason. By using it...it's why I passed out after. If I didn't have Tikki to heal me, I could have had permanent damage-" Like Nathalie. "-and I wasn't going to risk that, at first. But then Hawkmoth, he started to...he was going to kill you and I couldn't -I couldn't..."

She sobs.

Both Tikki and Jason reach out to her, the kwami cuddling against her master's cheek and Jason hugging her tightly to his chest.

"I get it," Jason tells her and he does, he knows exactly why she's crying, why it's so scary. "I couldn't handle that either."

A sudden thought passes through him and Jason jolts, head snapping up to the cameras.

"Won't Bruce be able to see it-"

"Her." Tikki corrects, floating close enough to lightly poke Jason's cheek. "I interfere with electronics, I can't be seen on screen and my voice can't be heard."

"A hacker I'm friends with, he just likes computers, he's not a hero, already took down audio," Marinette smiles sheepishly. "I don't know what he thinks we're doing in here, but at least we can't be heard. But he can still see us."

Jason raises an eyebrow, "Then will they see this?"

He raises his hand, slowly interlocking their fingers, making the heroine nod.

"And this?"

"This...? Oh." Marinette giggles. " _Oh._ "

They lock eyes and just from the boyish grin Jason sends her alone, Marinette knew the pretending was over for her.

With one last glance towards her pink lips, the hero presses his mouth over hers into a gentle kiss. She kisses him back instantly, them both pulling away from a second before smiling into another one.

There was nothing harsh about it.

Marinette heard as the chair rattled against the wall behind him as he shifted his body in front of hers, getting closer to his partner -one hand holding the back of her head and the other still wrapped around hers.

Relief from the kiss- -it telling her two things, he's safe and she's wanted- -makes Marinette's knees feel particularly weak.

Picking up on that, it only takes Jason one small tug until his partner is sitting on one of his thighs, gasping as her hands shoot out to the front of his shirt as the hero just starts to laugh.

"Oh my god," Jason snickers. "Did that actually scare you?"

"Shut up." Marinette hisses, pushing herself away from his chest as he just continues to laugh. "I didn't expect that!"

"So the kiss was completely expected and fine, but me making it so you literally don't fall over when we both knew your legs were giving out wasn't? The hell is up with your mental, Bug."

"Don't patronize me, Red Hood," She just as playfully teases him. "Aren't you the one who arrested Nightwing once because he littered and forgot to bring proof."

"If we're going down that route, then there's plenty of dumb stuff you've done as a hero too, like, I don't know, pretending to be a guard and getting kidnapped by pigeons on purpose. Like, what the fuck was that?"

"It wasn't me who got kidnapped!" Marinette grins proudly. "It was Chat Noir and hey -does that mean you read the LadyBlog? Do you like Ladybug?"

Jason just raises a single eyebrow, "I'm fucking sorry, aren't you the one with Red Hood merch? And you pretend to shoot things with your fingers when you're trying to be sneaky-"

"-you do have a few ladybug themed yoyos, in case you forgot."

"I didn't forget," He huffs, still grinning as he kisses her gently on the temple. "I just don't also pretend to be you."

"Blue eyes. Check. Black hair. Check." Her hand comes up to ruffle his hair right where the white streak parts it. "The only thing you're missing, Jason, is a good attitude."

He can't help but to roll his eyes and just listen as she starts to talk about how hard it was to find the right things to make the leather jacket and hood durable enough to transform with her- -she figured out long ago that after a while, things started to get frail and fall apart- -after spending all the time it took to make it look good when she should have been writing an essay.

For a moment, any impending doom, any pain and injuries were forgotten.

They were just two teenagers talking about clothes and homework.

And that? It was worth the pain.


	16. Witcher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Sixteen

Bruce and Marinette were arguing.

It started out civil, really and they tried to keep it that way, but sometimes, Bruce was really annoying and sometimes, Marinette was fed up with white male American bullshit.

Marinette- -who they all knew had to do with the power struggle between the heroes and villains in Paris somehow, even if they didn't know strictly how- -Chloe, who they all knew was Queen-Bee, and all of the Batfam as well as Superman was in the largest hotel room their private wing had.

Thing were fine until Bruce asked her, "What do you think is going to happen if you interfere with one of my investigations?"

And the heroine replied, "That it will get solved."

Which, honestly, coming from a teenage girl who he didn't know had any experience as an adult, an investigator or a hero, made Bruce a bit mad.

His voice raised and he got snappy, which made her voice raise and her get snarky right back.

Selina sighed into her hand, annoyed, and was able to share an equally exasperated look with both Jason and Alfred.

This went on until Bruce yelled out, "You're just a _child!_ You have _no idea_ what's good for this city-"

"I know what's good for this city!" Marinette shouts back, hands slapping down on the table top as she stands out of her chair. "I've given countless things to protect people, including my own fucking life, something you haven't even done yet. You run around thinking you're like the Witcher and you know what true justice looks like but I think you forget you're a vigilante. What you do is illegal."

Though he too was a vigilante, and he's killed people and definitely knows _that's_ illegal, Jason had to admit that was one hell of a point.

So much so that it caught Bruce Wayne off guard.

"And above that, it's just wrong not to take out the man who has killed hundreds. The Joker needs to be killed, and you refuse to use a gun. Your parents died twenty five years ago Bruce, get over it. All your problems can be solved by an AK-47 and you're giving Jason shit for using one? You're giving me shit for doing what's necessary? Are you fucking kidding me? Grow a pair and move out of the way, because unless you're actually going to save lives I don't think you're quite useful right now."

Chloe makes a face, looking at Dick for help, but he makes an equally strained one back, shrugging.

"Father, I think she has a point." Damian was the first one to admit this.

Still peeved, Bruce glares down at his son. "Of course you agree, you're okay with killing someone. We have to be practical here-"

Marinette's nerves flare up again and she finds herself seething, fists clenched. "I'm being perfectly practical. Hawkmoth has escalated and is working with the Joker, that him twice as deadly. I'll kill both of them myself if I have to. Sure, it would be nice to avoid that and if we can get the miraculous from Hawkmoth then we don't have to kill him but what you're failing to comprehend is that fucking clown is his last line of defense. To actually to the miraculous without killing Gabriel Agreste, we'd had to kill Joker either way."

"And if Joker gets akumatized there's no way you guys can realistically fight him," Chloe adds. "If you try to fight him when he's powered, you might die. That's just more work for us heroes. I for one, think you're being ridiculous." Then she gives Superman a thoughtful look and hums. "You could actually help us."

 _That's it,_ Bruce decides. _I like Gotham better._

"I'll do my best." Superman replies with a smile, feeling awkward about this whole thing but more than willing to help people in need. "When there's an akuma next, we'll all meet at the Eiffel tower and your team can give us, all of us, directions. We'll take them. The Bats can always work on the ground, evacuating people."

Marinette sits up straight, a thought crossing her mind. "Bourgeois. Stay here and chat with them, remember to keep your mouth shut about what you're supposed to." Chloe makes a face as her leader directs her, but doesn't argue against it. Next the black-haired girl turns to her partner. "Jason, I need you to come with me."

Jason Todd didn't know what to expect when they walked into Marinette's room.

But it definitely wasn't for Chat Noir to be there, sitting on her Chaise chair eating chocolate filled croissants like nobody's business, dancing to himself while listening to Fergalicious.

"Hit it, Fergie!" He shouts, tone-deaf voice sharp with a voice crack. "All the time I turn around 'brothas' gather round always looking at me up and down looking at my, uh. I just wanna say it now, I ain't tryin' to round up drama, little mama I don't wanna take your man!"

Instantly it reminds Jason of the time a certain blond slammed open the bakery's door and shouted, "Luka tried to ruin my fabulous and take my wheelie so I skated over him and wheelied my beautiful ass here!" before kicking himself up on his heels, tried to go to the back room but slipped and landed on his ass.

Blankly, Jason turns to Marinette. "He's Adrien Agreste, isn't he?"

Not really even surprised, the heroine sighs out. "Yeah." Brushing past him she clears her throat to catch Chat's attention but the silly tom-cat tumbles out of the chair, squealing. "He's kind of an idiot but he's also pretty smart."

"He reminds me of Dick." Jason admits.

"Yeah," Marinette replies absentmindedly. "He can be one."

Chat Noir- -Adrien Agreste- -grins at them sheepishly, "Now that the cat's out of the bag, can I detransform?"

Marinette shrugs at him, "Go for it. Have you decided yet?"

"I think it's a good decision." A flash of bright green nearly blinds Jason, making him wince, but then Adrien in his regular clothes and less-messy blonde hair is blinking up at him, nodding. "But adding a new member requires training and um, I'm too lazy for that."

 _Clearly,_ the heroine thinks, scoffing.

"Um, hello?" Jason waves a hand. "I don't know what the fuck is going on still."

Adrien only grins at him while Marinette goes over to her work closet, unlocking a back panel with her thumb print and pulls out a ladybug themed oval ball -one that Jason knew instinctually was dangerous; magical.

"Jason Todd, this is the Miracle Box. Inside you will find the Miraculous of the Mouse, Tiger, Goat, Chicken, Ox, Dog and Pig. They will all grant you powers to help the people of Paris. You must use it for the greater good. If you accept, once we defeat Hawkmoth you will return the Miraculous to me. Can I trust you with this?"

The hero freezes, not expecting this at all.

Emotions choke him -not realizing how it would feel to have someone trust him this much, let alone the girl he loved.

"I -of course." Jason steps closer to her, electric-blue eyes wide. "I don't, I don't know what to do -which to pick. I get to pick?"

"Dude," A black kwami, one that looks like a cat, is suddenly flying towards him, snickering. "Keep it simple."

"What Plagg means to say," Tikki floats in front of him, blue eyes narrowed at her other half -who sticks his tongue out at her. "Is go with what feels natural. Which one are you drawn to?"

Marinette, still sensing his hesitancy, puts a hand on his shoulder, smiling gently, "Close your eyes and let yourself pick. Things like this come naturally."

"Like getting a wand in Harry Potter." Jason blurts, then flushes.

But his partner just giggles, nodding. "Exactly like that."

Following directions, Jason closes his eyes and moves his hand towards the box -jumping in surprise when his fingers wrap around cold metal, not knowing he had gotten that close or meant to actually grab one.

"The red Tiger Miraculous, kwami of danger." Marinette grins at him, moving to help him put the panjas bracelet on. "It fits."

As a red ball of energy shoots from the miraculous, the jewelry itself shifts to a simple black bracelet where a strong red chain connected to a black ring.

Stepping back, the heroine lets the kwami take over the conversations, more than aware that's how it's supposed to be.

"I'm Roaar," The calm, smirking red and black stripped kwami tells them, red eyes staring right at Jason as the yellow around them brightened. "And I'm your kwami. I'm sure you've been filled in-" She nods to Tikki, not sparing Plagg a glance. "-to transform, you say 'Roaar, stripes on' and to detransform, the same thing but off. Pretty simple right?"

Jason nods, grinning. "What powers will I have?"

"It's called Rampant. When transformed you get a whip, and your power feeds into that. If you hit an object with it, the dangerous thing becomes harmless and if you hit a person with it, same thing happens but they physically change instead of becoming powerless. People turn into babies or lose their muscles, powers. Animals get their fangs, claws, poison taken away. You get the gist. When the akuma is purified or you detransform, everything- -you get three chances to use your power ever transformation- -will change back."

"Should I transform now?"

"Yes!" Adrien shouts, pointing a croissant at him. "You're a cat like me, that's direct competition, I need to know if you look better than me."

He scoffs, "You have a fucking bell, dude, of course I'm going to look better than you."

Even Plagg nods -the black cat kwami not liking the bell his master has either. To him, it's stupid.

But the blond only grins, "Even if you look cooler than me, I know I'll still look cuter."

"That's because you look like a twelve year old twink that tries to make people think he's twenty."

Adrien gasps offended, holding a hand over his heart. "How dare you! I'll have you know, I look at least thirteen."

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Marinette shakes her head at herself, already regretting these two in a room together. "Guys, c'mon. I want to see Jay transform already."

With that, Jason calls the transformation words, making a red light flash over his body and him to yelp at the unfamiliar change in energy over his body, the suit replacing his clothes. It's no surprise, but the black leather jacket he was wearing before stayed on him, present over the magical suit but now a bright red and indestructible. 

His legs, save for three red stripes on either calf, were entirely black and the soles of his feet were white. As far as he could tell, from the tops of his shoulders down to his fingertips was red. His chest was black too but had three very deep red marks over it, almost like scratches but clearly tiger stripes that ran vertically down. Down his chest, outlining his frame was a single white streak.

Though his hair stayed the same, two white cat ears are on either side of his head, flicking.

A stripped tail came out from under his leather jacket, swaying around his ankles as a design element rather than a useful tool, like Chat's belt, but later he would find that it can wrap around someone and catch them.

His weapon, the whip, is a blood red and curled tight around one wrist, ready to drop down and lash out at someone any second.

"Well shit," Adrien only laughs, having to admit that the other hero looks pretty hot _and_ cool right now. "You definitely look better than me. But I still think I'm cuter."

"Yeah," Jason smirks, winking playfully. "You're definitely cuter."

His partner herself had bright pink cheeks but managed to ask "What are you going to call yourself?" without stammering.

"Vaincre."

To conquer.

Marinette was right, _it fits._


	17. Sink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PART SEVENTEEN WAS ORIGINALLY A BIT ~spicy~ BUT I DELETED IT BC I DIDN'T THINK IT FIT MUCH AT ALL SORRY FOR ANYONE YOU CAN FIND THAT ANYWHERE ON THIS HELL SITE
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Seventeen

Two weekends passed before anything more happened.

Marinette was happy with how Jason's superhero transformation from Red Hood to Vaincre was going -as one article from the Ladyblog already caught the public's attention.

It was an akuma, one that had powers similar to the Bubbler when Nino was akumatized with the difference being they didn't target adults, rather anyone they saw that wasn't scared of them. The trick was that in these bubbles, people passed out and as soon as they did, unable to catch themselves, the bubble popped.

Everyone, save for Chat and Ladybug was on catching duty, saving pedestrian lives.

That annoyed Chat Noir more than anything -having to act scared of an akuma that was more an annoying pest than anything remotely frightening.

And it led to him being sent flying through the air.

"Chat!" Ladybug yells, sending her yoyo up to wrap around the bubble. She regretted doing so as almost instantly, she was carried with him.

She expected to have to do what they did last time, Chat use his Cataclysm and her to save them but then Superman came out of no where and punched a hole through Chat's bubble, catching him but sending Ladybug freefalling.

Grunting she manages to flip over to face the ground, looking for a vantage point she can wrap her yoyo around to save herself.

They were far from the Eiffel tower and if she sent her yoyo down to the buildings below, she'd cut right through the soft brick and potentially endanger the lives of the people in the houses.

Superman it was then.

As her yoyo flew up, Chat was instantly able to see the game plan and grab hold of the end -the string wrapping tight around both his forearms and Superman holding tight to him.

Ladybug didn't throw it in time.

And still crashed into the roof top of a building, plowing through the glass and only to hit the outside of a boat -as they were flying towards the Seine. The boat shook and the center rod of it tipped over, dropping the standing port right onto Ladybug, who, at impact, released the yoyo's hold on Chat.

Ryuko, who at the time was by the docks to use her powers to fish out anyone who fell in the water, dived in after the fast-sinking heroine.

It was useless though because as she was swimming down, two civilians dropped over head.

And the heroine knew long ago what her main duty was.

She was one of the strictest about that besides Ladybug, and did not hesitate to change course.

Ladybug, though she was still sinking through the water with the boat rod and standing port pinning her, was thankful for this.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng just _could not_ catch a break.

Popping her yoyo open, Ladybug brings it to her mouth with the one free hand she has -breathing in heavily.

Her back hit the Seine floor, sending the metal and wood heavily into her thigh, making the metallic taste of blood flood her mouth. She couldn't see anything, it was dark and cold.

So, that being said, she felt it was completely reasonable when a hand wrapped around her arm, she screamed.

The water tasted disgusting, but whoever grabbed her- -who could clearly see, so she guessed it was either Chat or Vaincre, the two cats- -forced the yoyo back in her mouth.

Together they pushed the ship parts off her, and she could feel something metal slide against her leg where she hadn't noticed it come in such violent contact with her that it pierced her suit.

Some akumas couldn't even do that.

What _bullshit_.

Just like most humans, if its not because of a threat Marinette was quite vulnerable to the natural consequences of drowning, being hit too hard or bleeding out.

The consequence being death.

Ladybug could clearly see it was Chat Noir that saved her the closer they got to the surface and he was clearly annoyed, arm tight around her waist as he pulls them both through the water.

Getting to air, they drop their weapons turned oxygen supplies back into their hands -Ladybug sending her yoyo out to the closest pole to carry them onto the edge of a street that lines the Seine. They break apart as they hit the ground, Ladybug being thrown farther as her yoyo rebounds and shoots into her side.

Chat, like most times, is the first to recover- -it's hard on the lungs and head to be that far underwater- -and bounds over to his partner.

"LB, c'mon bugaboo," The superhero tugs his belt off, wrapping it around her thigh. "The fights still going on."

"Get me in the air." Ladybug grits out, leaving a pool of blood under her as he helps her stand. "We need to end this, fast."

Flicking open her yoyo, she shows him that Rena Rogue is the Eiffel tower. She's the only one who can't help all that well when it comes to civilian recovery, so she was in charge of following the akuma and taking them down if she can.

That's where they go.

Rena raises an eyebrow at Ladybug, who stumbles upon impact, but she just shakes her eyes, eyes turning to Batman and Superman -who are talking with each other. The bat-team is also helping on the ground, with people who the supers have saved. Kon, Superboy, was Marinette's so far.

Superman, looking the leader over with his x-ray vision, winces and asks her, "How much time do you have left?"

Giving him a level look, Ladybug replies, "Three minutes."

The two men share a look before Batman asks, "Is that enough time."

"Of course." Chat Noir scoffs, green eyes narrowed in a glare. "For her, anyway."

"Mission report." Ladybug says, turning to her best friend.

"The akuma was tricked onto the fútbol field, Carapace is holding him in with his power. Red, er, Vaincre, Queen-B and the small angry one is trapped with them. There's only one way in or out and Ryuko sealed it with ice, but she's outside it all."

Ladybug nods, "That's a good team. The ice won't be a problem, Chat hasn't used cataclysm yet. Let's go."

"You're still on clean up." Chat adds with a grin. "More people could fall."

"Chaton," His partner scolds. "You're on clean up too, Ryuko must need to retransform by now. It's only you and Viperion right now, Queen-Bee will join you too but the bats can't catch anyone."

The silly tom-cat whines, "But the supers are here."

She gives him a level look, clearly saying that's not enough.

It's like the bats and supers don't know how not to cause destruction wherever they fight. And they're the ones without magic to heal the space around them.

Taking her yoyo out and not sending a single glance back, Ladybug swings off the Eiffel tower and follows Carapace's tracker with Chat Noir following close behind her. After breaking the ice, he back tracks to a roof near the center of the damage site to make sure everything and everyone is okay.

Inside, was a mess.

Queen-Bee was hanging upside down with a bubble around her ankle attaching her to the top of Carapace's shield.

Robin was chasing the crying akuma around with two large knives shouting very vulgar threats while the akuma, that Ladybug still hadn't gotten the fucking name of, tries to hit him with a bubble. Almost lazily, Carapace stands in the middle and blocks him with his shield.

Catching onto her presence instantly, Vaincre jumps across the space using his whip by wrapping the end around a pillar and carrying himself over the three still 'fighting'.

"I discovered a new power!" Vaincre says excitedly, showing her the second whip that flicks out from his other wrist. "I call it fear, which is pretty self descriptive. I used it on Spheroid-" Spheroid. That makes sense. "-that's why he's crying."

He looks so proud of himself, it was actually adorable, in a way.

Carapace was the first of the group to get a new power, to protect Rena Rogue when Hawkmoth had managed to trap her and tried to get her miraculous, leaving him with Shellter, Preserve and Cover.

Ladybug was next and besides Lucky Charm, has Fortune and Prosperity. Chat has Ruination and Affliction as well as, of course, Cataclysm.

Rena Rouge has Mirage and Trick, the two powers she had all along just like Viperion's Second Chance and Reverse.

Ryuko, having each element, hasn't gotten any more powers, as is the same with Queen-Bee -though she did get another stinger at the end of each wrist to jab her enemies with if need be.

"That's so cool, but really surprising, usually it takes a while to get any new powers." Ladybug was only a little jealous. "Did you find the akumatized object?"

"Yeah," Her partner nods, nose wrinkling under his mask as his white ears flick -tail coming to wrap subconsciously around Ladybug's wrist. "But we were told to wait for you by turtle boy. Demon Bird over there got impatient."

"Well I'm bleeding out," She says this so nonchalantly that Vaincre almost misses the panic in her bluebell eyes. "So please point it out or go break it."

Shoulders squaring, Vaincre sends his whip out, wrapping it around Spheroid's circle arm bands -cracking them into pieces. Ladybug purifies it and they're all shocked when a man in a prison uniform and hand cuffs drops to the ground. Now they understood why he was so dangerous, why he trapped people.

Still, Ladybug tried to be compassionate nonetheless as she kneeled over a bit to offer her hands. "We'll get everything sorted out with the Po-"

Angry, confused and frankly still a little scared, the man lashes out and shoves her -making her land on one leg.

Carapace pins him down, Vaincre kneeling next to Ladybug as she falls on her back, wriggling in pain.

"Lucky Charm!" She seethes, catching a bandage in hand, but instantly throwing it into the air to repair everything instead of using it.

Like most grievous injuries, it doesn't heal all the way, but she stops bleeding out and the scrapped, fractured femur all heals into a bone-deep bruise that would cause her to limp.

Exhausted from this and blood loss, Ladybug leaves Chat to deal with everything and rushes her and Vaincre home before either of them detransform.

Collapsing onto her couch, Ladybug mumbles out "Spots off." and triggers the transformation to become Marinette again. Vaincre follows suit, leather jacket going from blood red to black as he collapses on the other end of the couch.

"Hey!" Marinette kicks him in the bicep, making him send her a dirty look. "Go close the store."

Jason scoffs, "You do it."

"I'm injured!"

"I'm tired."

"I'll do it!" Tikki says, floating above her master -Roarr following closely behind as she takes off down stairs.

The heroine shrugs, turning on her side to snuggle into the couch. "You're lame."

"What -why?" Running a hand through his hair, her partner places his hand on her calf, tugging just enough to get her to look at him. "The fuck I do?"

"I almost died and I didn't get a single fucking kiss, Red." Marinette complains, dramatically flopping one arm out to flip him off. "That's what's lame."

The hero snorts. "Right. Because it's not like I was locked in a building or someone catching Ladybug kissing someone on camera would set off an entire chain of reporters going to dangerous akuma fights just to get the smallest bit of information."

She smacks him with the flat couch pillow, making him grunt. "You're not locked in with an akuma now, are you."

"Bug." Jason takes the pillow from her, hand coming down next to the curve of her waist as he leans over her. "Do you want a kiss now?"

Flushing red, she nods and wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss and believing she's about to get one before he changes direction and stays just far enough from her lips she's can't surprise Jason as well. Marinette pouts as he smirks, "What's the magic word?"

Blue eyes narrowing, not liking the feeling of teasing, Marinette makes a split second decision to wrap one of her legs around his hip and flip the around so she's on top.

Hand raising to grab his jaw, Marinette smirks instead. "I don't know, Red, what is the magic word?"

Jason continues to smirk, hand wrapping back in her hair as he pulls her down for a kiss.

Their lips connect with a small gasp, waists sliding together as Jason sits up and the heroine arches into him, warm tongue sliding alone her lower lip before he sucks on it just a bit -just enough to make her head feel fuzzy and body grow warm.

Then he pulls away, ultramarine blue eyes locking with her half-lidded ones.

"It's please."


	18. Double-Edged

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it's taken me this long! Hope you all enjoy, and sorry for the slow chapter but there will be more to come soon.
> 
> And I've also decided that after this fanfic is done, there will be a part two that shows what happens after the tournament and Jason goes back to Gotham!
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Eighteen

Jason and Marinette were sitting on the top of Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie's roof. Her back is against the wall and his head is in her lap, blue eyes twinkling happily in the dim light the far street light provides.

The soft look he's giving her is a familiar one, but it doesn't fail to make her heart race.

Being around him wasn't as thrilling as it would seem, really.

Even if he was a Wayne- -thought he's actually a Todd- -or a superhero in two ways, even if he's him in all the amazing and terrifying ways he is, it's the heroine's normal now.

It's comforting.

Once a few moments had past where Marinette's fingers were no longer running through his hair or tugging ever so gently on the white streak, Jason turns his chin up to face her.

Because of his miraculous the hero was quite quickly able to adjust to the dark but for Marinette, it took a bit. 

But the more she looked around the more she realized how boringly familiar everything around her was the same time it provided a distraction from what she wanted to focus on: Jason.

So she leaned back against the wall, the back of her head rested on the cold surface as her bluebell eyes closed. Marinette could tell that Jason was looking at her and refocused on running one hand through his hair half-assed.

She was content not knowing what he thought about this, feeling his shoulders relax against her thigh yet again.

Focusing on the sound, Marinette was able to hear the footsteps of the few below who were taking a late night walk or going to their graveyard night shift. There were few crickets around, but enough that their song was notable. The light wind whistled around the buildings, ruffling her own hair and the potted plants. The light sound of Jason's breathing, his wiggling leg against the bars of her balcony creating a small 'ting' every time he moved.

With her life, having to do school, work and be Ladybug, as well as now work with the Supers the same time she's dealing the Bats moments of peace were rare.

Not to mention the fast approaching tournament she'd knew she'd win with Jason at her side.

Winning wasn't the problem.

It was Jason leaving that was the problem. Once that happened, she knows she wouldn't lose him, he wasn't going away forever.

Holding him wouldn't be an option anymore.

He was going to college in America, actually getting a life together for himself. Joker wasn't causing as much problems back there, even if in Paris he was lashing out.

But they all had a plan to defeat Hawkmoth, given the Wayne's were filled in with his true identity.

Even Adrien was going to be safe.

For some reason, this felt like a stalemate instead of a win. Like all her time working and fighting was all for nothing, she's died for nothing, she's felt grief and panic and her entire country has been terrorized for four years...for nothing.

Still, she was going to be in the final fight, she's going to be the one to collect his miraculous.

There was something about knowing this might not be possible with the Supers and Bats that upset her.

Ladybug had her entire country's trust.

And she wasn't good enough.

But for this moment, right here, that didn't feel like such a bad thing anymore. There was a difference in being distracted from sadness and being happy, Marinette had finally crossed that line.

So it was peaceful.

Marinette didn't bother to tell him that, it was clear he knew that him being here had lifted her spirits. Talking about her parents was a big part of that, even if doing so wasn't pleasant.

The wind was nowhere near biting, but in contrast the heat radiating off of Jason it was cold enough to make Marinette shiver enough for Tikki to have brought her a blanket.

She doesn't know how long they've been out here.

At first they were doing their school work as it had warmed up during the day but as the darkness grew so did their conversations and the two made any excuse to hear the other laugh.

The black haired girl blinked her eyes open and looked down at Jason, who was still rather content in the quiet between them.

It was times like this Marinette tended to scold herself for not knowing everything about Jason that she could, for not committing his scars to memory, for not kissing them as much as she should and for not knowing how he felt under her fingertips all the ways she could.

Jason Todd is a strong, built and tall man/boy was known in Gotham for his sharp looks and square jaw, for being the hot snarky Wayne brother.

But he was also kind of pretty when he wasn't trying to be anything, with his contagiously and quite obnoxious too-loud laugh, his boyish grin. With his high cheekbones and long eyelashes that Marinette definitely _wasn't_ jealous of.

With his soft touches and the beautiful looks he'd give her when the lazy smirk splayed on his lips, one black eyebrow raised, how he didn't care to brush the hair from in front of his eyes, when he was being playful and flirtatious rather than cocky and competitive.

And his smile.

_Oh god, his smile._

Because past the little details of his face there was his true expression that Marinette couldn't help to focus on exactly at this moment because his eyes were lidded and a small smile was on his lips.

He was just there, centered in reality if reality was just the two of them and the gently guide of her fingers through his hair.

Hesitantly, Marinette places her hand on his cheek before slipping her fingers down to trace one of the worst scars where it laid on his jaw. 

It wasn't often that she got to freely touch his scars, entirely undirected, without conversations -just her fingertips tracing the ridges of his trauma like they were a map of stars.

Jason didn't specifically put up a boundary or say she couldn't, and tolerated it the few times she held his face between kisses or asked questions about them.

But touching without any apparent purpose, with no rush, no questions, just intimate softness and silent thoughts -it made everything he went through to get to this moment seem just a little too okay. 

The hero let this slide and stayed silent when one fingertip traced up to the middle of cheek before touching the slant in his nose -proof of the seemingly countless times he's broken it in a fight.

For a moment, just a brief moment, Jason wondered if Marinette considered any of these flaws.

All rational thoughts were cut out of his mind when she presses down onto his bottom lip, making him gasp and letting Marinette realize he had been holding his breath.

Marinette melted in place as the hero flushed red and closed his eyes tightly, surprised at his own reaction. This felt like something she could do for hours, just to see his reactions, but she'd much rather spend that time being kissed the ways her lips are aching to do.

She understood clearly how Jason was a double edged sword, how he could even cut clean through her.

Red Hood and Jason Todd were the same person.

He had darkness in him that people still curse, that make the same people who call him a hero call him a monster. They never forgot just how human he was though, and that was perhaps the worst part of it.

If they talked about him like he was untouchable, like they've never seen him bleed or have to be carried away from a fight maybe it would be different. But they understood how human he was when he openly mocked Batman in a back alley or ran over roof tops with the other Bats, shouting with glee at the top of his lungs only to cackle as they fell.

Maybe if he was half human, or alien, if he could growl and had sharp teeth, if they could say he was demonic or abnormal. If he was a fallen angel, heartless.

But he wasn't.

Jason was painfully human, and displayed how twisted and gruesome just about everyone could become.

Not that them thinking him a monster was entirely their fault.

When someone's spilled so much blood, it's only a matter of time before people start to question what the definition of a hero was. If killing a killer was worth it. His answer would be yes, but once your hands are stained red more blood doesn't change the color.

Nobody forgot his time in Bludhaven, or the gangs he's infiltrator, the blood he's spilled. How at one point he was unshakably violent.

Jason could be downright cruel, Marinette's time researching him has proven that. She knows how observant he is, and maybe that wouldn't be a problem if he ever shared what he noticed _before_ it was used against someone.

The problem was he doesn't.

He's killed more people she can could on both hands, beaten up more people than she's known and been arrested more times than he's probably willing to admit.

That doesn't change the fact that he's bright and sweet and a good brother, how he'd do anything for those he loves. How his protective blanket provides safety for the weak.

It made sense to Marinette why people would be scared or Red Hood.

But she also understands how she'll never be able to be afraid of Jason.

They've never kissed him like she has and been held close enough to make the entire world disappear, they've been been sacrificed silently the was he has sacrificed himself for her, they've never been held on the edge of a boat dock knowing they can't swim like her but not afraid to jump because of him.

Because sometimes, you just have to jump.

They're scared because they don't know what it was like to lose someone in crowd of hundred and the crippling relief of suddenly knowing _they're okay_ or to know he was always just pleading look, one room, one call away from being their saving grace.

And they don't know how amazing he looks when he smiles or how tantalizing he is when he bites his lip or just how much of a little kid he acts when he's just so happy that he has to throw his head back and laugh.

Or how much of a dorky videogame dweeb he is and how he's the most passionate person in the world when it comes to literature. Not that he likes to dance even though he's horrible at anything that's not ballroom dancing, and he likes to sing no matter the genre of music.

How full of life he is, even when he knows- -and gets satisfaction- -from taking someone else's away.

Because that bloodthirsty man was the same boy who likes to cuddle after a long day and picks her up over puddles, who helps her with homework when she's spent too much time baking and likes help with his math even though he's a genius.

None of his problems, none of the grim things he's done will stop Marinette in this moment, from taking Jason's face in hand and pressing her lips against his.

And nothing in this moment, will stop Jason from lifting his arms up and holding onto her arms, kissing her back just as hard.

For them, it felt like the universe paused itself, just to make time for the two of them.

No one can touch them when they're like this.

Yet they both know the truth: They can't stay like this forever.


	19. Anticlimactic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Nineteen

It wasn't so peaceful anymore.

But things were still silent.

Ladybug was on the top of the Eiffel Tower, where she already agreed to meet Hawkmoth for a final battle, where she hoped to defeat him first try and get his miraculous finally.

It felt wrong, for some reason.

Anticlimactic, in her mind. Like all she's done has led up to this moment, _this moment-_

Where she stood on the flat ridge of the middle bar, waiting and waiting and waiting. Where wind whistled around her and there was a static in her ears as unused adrenaline came and went every time she caught movement from the corner of her eye.

This moment where her team was on rooftops all around her, Chat Noir across the same rooftop as her -ready to finish this together, just like it started.

Where everything felt like nothing and too much at once.

How Superman and Superboy were hovering hundreds of feet in the air, listening but the Bats- -even Red Hood- -were on the ground, clueless about much until the fight starts.

Though she had a this, she knew it would come down to her and her kitty -ready to finish this together, just like it started.

It can be hard, to control her emotions at times like this. 

She's spent time cuddling with Jason, talking about her fears, she's gone to Alya and got her pep talks, she's seen Nino and Kim and all her friends for little goodbyes and hugs and strength. 

But here, when she's a superhero, Chat Noir is her rock and he always has been. 

Of course, there's been times he met up. There's been moments he thought he wasn't good enough as a superhero the same time he was strong as a person, but then there's also been times he was on a crime-stopping akuma-saving spree and falling apart on the inside. 

No matter what happened, how his mental health was or if he was injured one thing stayed consistent: Chat Noir was there for Ladybug. And Adrien Agreste is there for Marinette. 

Marinette's fear is simple, and is shared by most superheroes-

_What if I can't save everyone?_

Even as Ladybug, with her miraculous cure, with her skills and sharp brain and fast-track thought process, with Chaton at her side and an entire legion of heroes behind her she knows people will still get hurt. She knows someone could die and suddenly not come back. Magic doesn't have rules, except that when you want something from it, it _takes, takes takes._

Chat Noir has died before, so has she.

But so has Jason, and his team, so had some of the Supers, so has civilians and policemen and firemen and people who just want to stand up for themselves.

She's not special, you see.

Hawkmoth proved that by being able to akumatize anyone, from babies to old men, from girls to boys, to bullies to the bullied.

And here he is, trying to call a meeting like they're working together- -and maybe it made her mad, because in a way, they are- -to make a draw, like whatever he's doing won't be a trap or he won't bring the madman to cause chaos.

Like the boy next to her isn't his own son, whom he claims to love but has destroyed countless times in the past.

"Hey, Bugaboo," Chat Noir says, his voice echoing out from her yoyo. Being far away, they're on call, but are able to make eye contact from across the space. "Does it ever fuck you up that we can put our miraculous together and take over the world? We could be worse then Hawkmoth, you know."

"Yeah but that seems like a lot of work." Ladybug shrugs, knowing she's not that selfish and the sunshine boy doesn't have a evil bone in his body. "Why?"

"I don't know. Want to see me do a handstand instead?" He doesn't wait for her reply, and throws his arms on the ground, holding it for a second before tipping back and flopping to the ground with a sharp metal 'bang'. "I'm getting kinda bored here."

Ladybug scoffs, sitting down herself as her partner turns on his stomach to face her. "Why do you think Hawkmoth really wants to meet us? He's never done this before."

Chaton doesn't reply for a few moments but when he does, it's in the form of a small 'I don't know' that sends his partner into a spiral of anxiety.

Part of her doesn't want him to be here, to fight someone he still loves, but a bigger part of her knows she needs him, that he has to be here.

"Me and Red are together." The heroine says, making Chat wiggle his eyebrows at her -easily slipping back into comfortable conversation. "Not completely officially, but it feels like...I don't know, still serious?"

"Is love in the question, Bugaboo?"

Though he's just teasing her, Ladybug still flushes and grumbles at him. "You're so annoying."

"I'm joking, I'm joking." Chat Noir laughs, flicking his bell in a thoughtless movement. "But I can see it. I did for a really long time, from the party where you almost drowned and all. Still though, I'm glad you found someone. But if I'm not the first person you tell if anything happens, when you do get together, I'm gonna flip my shit."

"Excuse me, it took you a month to tell me about your boyfriend, Chaton." She scolds. "And my actual best friend will probably be the first to know, because unlike you, she follows through on promises to kill for information."

This gets a slight chuckle from him, and she watches as he taps on his staff, clearly typing a message.

**Chaton** _  
The supers must know who you are _

**Bugaboo** _  
Why? _

**Chaton** _  
You're talking so freely about Jason  
And if they know him, then they'll know you  
(As Mari) _

**Bugaboo** _  
It's not confirmed yet but I'm sure they do  
They're smarter than they look  
_

**Bugaboo** _   
_ _ Plus they have X-Ray vision, and could see my damaged leg   
When I met Jason after the fight   
And I'm really sure Superman saw my limp and checked _

**Chaton** __  
Okie, just checking  
Ik sometimes you forget when you're stressed

"Love you, LB!" Chat Noir laughs, kicking one foot in the air. "Let's fight really well today, yeah?"

Ladybug laughs, nodding. "Yeah. We need to finish this today. No turning back."

Her partner extends one hand in the air, pointing it to her and, catching on, she does the same and they pretend to shake hands through the open space.

Sometimes all Marinette needs is a reminder that everything's okay, even if they don't make it, if she messes up, if they're stressed and everything is wrong -that's okay. She was only 13 when she got this responsibility and even know, she's still supposed to be a reckless teenager. It's okay to make mistakes, her team will still trust her, nobody will stop loving her.

That's what's important -isn't it?

Love, I mean.


	20. Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry if this chapter sucks, I'm really bad at shit like this//fighting scenes that aren't fighting scenes (??) and also, like, if it's not realistic or a bad chapter please let know and I'll probably rewrite it a bit! But there will be more to come.
> 
> I know I haven't written anything in a bit, and just like, popped out three chapters out of nowhere, sorry again.
> 
> Jasonette Fanfic // Red // Part Twenty

The meeting was more than anyone expected.

Hawkmoth came by himself, at first, but that illusion quickly shattered when gunshots ringed out and grazed by the wall across from where Nightwing was perched on lookout -quickly alerting the Bats to Joker's presence.

Thankfully there were very little, if no, civilian's around due to a quick report on the Ladyblog about a possible fight and even an announcement from Ladybug herself on the major local newscast asking so many people to stay inside that it shut down Francoise Dupont and put the Louvre on lockdown, not to mention Chloe arrange a 'free hotel spa day' so her customers would stay inside.

An akuma was made as well, which her own team handled quite expertly. It wasn't a strong one, just one made to be a distraction for Ladybug and Chat Noir. 

Luckily they were prepared.

Luckily nobody was hurt.

Luckily the conversation went smooth.

But luck runs out fast, if you don't take advantage of it and neither hero knew where they stood. Were they able to make demands? Were they able to defeat him, or did he have something up his sleeve? There's no way, after all these years and getting a powerful partner, that Hawkmoth just...gives up.

There was chaos now, on the street there were goons the Joker gathered and the insane man himself, there was the ruins of the akuma and her team's powers just waiting to be fixed.

Superman was the only one this far to not get involved, and Ladybug didn't know what he was waiting for, but she's thankful he waits, listens, instead of running in blindly to danger.

The control many of the Bats lacked

, as well as people on her own team.

As far as she could tell, nothing has gone wrong enough to make Viperion- -who was with Superboy to see everything- -use his power to reverse time.

"Why did you meet us here, Hawkmoth?" Ladybug asks bravely, arms crossing as he glances back to her -having silently stood to observe the damage after mockingly greeting the duo.

"You're not surrendering."

"No...I'm not." He says, hands crossing over his cane. "I'm here to make a deal."

Ladybug raises an eyebrow, intrigued but suspicious. "Which is?"

"I give up. I will. You've put my wife, your mother, in a medical facility I don't know about. My own son, left me." Hawkmoth twirls the cane, a barely noticeable smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth when Chat scoffs. "Something made me realize I'm more like that freak down there than I realized, so I'm giving up."

There was something in his voice, that told the heroine not to trust any of this. "In exchange for?"

This time his smirk is all the more prominent. "For complete freedom."

"Pardon?" Ladybug says, glancing at Chat.

But the hero seems to already know what he means and glares as he answers for his deranged father. "He doesn't want us to turn him into the police, and I'm guessing he wants to be able to see Mom. No consequences."

Hawkmoth looks cruel in this moment but if he knew that, which Ladybug guesses he does, he doesn't care. "And I get to see you once a month."

Chat Noir glares at him, snapping. "No fucking chanc-"

"Chat!" Ladybug quickly interrupts him. "We have to actually think about this. Please, cool off for a second."

Seething, Chat walks to the other side and hisses profanities to himself. This hits close to home. Uncomfortably so.

"Oh no, you misunderstood, _campanule._ This is a limited offer. You have now, to decide. No leaving, no heaving pros and cons. I surrender now, or I make enough akumas to destroy you and this country."

Ladybug's nerves flare up, but she keeps her composure. "You'll kill yourself controlling that many, if you could even survive making that many. Or you'll break your miraculous, hurt your kwami."

Hawkmoth chuckles. "I don't care. My kwami is nothing but a pawn in this game, just like you. You're nothing but a queen on a chessboard, thrown away and abused to protect the king. You'll learn that soon enough."

"I want to take you up on your offer. Hand over your miraculous, and I will escort you home. No police. And I will give you your wife's location."

"You can't do that!" Chat Noir shouts, storming back over to them. "He's a monster. A villain. Villain's aren't suppose to win -he can't get away with this!"

His father scoffs, "I am losing, son. That is consequence enough."

"No you're not losing, you're gaining everything you want back!" The scorned hero hisses through his teeth, tail whipping anxiously at his ankles. "You're getting mom, you're getting freedom when you deserve a life in jail. I'm not a pawn, you're not getting me back. And you never are."

"Luckily, that is not for you to decide." Hawkmoth states blankly, grey eyes turning back to Ladybug. "What is your final word."

Chat grabs onto her arm, a angry, nervous movement, but it's not enough to really hurt and he doesn't stop her from thinking.

When she meets his eye, and nods, Chat knows his frustration is futile. Ladybug has always been the leader, despite being his partner. She can see past the emotion he's blinded by.

This could end in many ways, some of which Ladybug knows she won't be prepared for.

And she does have to think about it. This is the same man- -the same villain, who's part monster part human- -who's terrorized and entire country for almost five years. The one who's not only hurt innocent civilian's to get what he wants, but neglected his son and lied about his wife's comatose state to her entire family. He always had tricks up her sleeve, always seemed to be at least one step ahead.

Yet here he was, offering this deal.

Freedom for freedom.

She'd be stupid to dismiss something like this so fast, but equally as stupid to just accept it. There would be consequences to this and she knew it, she knew this wouldn't be something just anyone could back out of.

But he would give up his own miraculous- -something she'd been fighting for since she was 13, and died for too- -and he would stop.

_He would stop._

It pained Ladybug to realize at this moment, when he was 'surrendering', she was a lot closer to winning than she ever had been before.

Of course there was the chance that she could overpower him, given everyone around. But if she fought him and he created as many akumas as he had promised many heroes could be injuries, civilian's could die -Joker would be able to kill more, as people would rush around in blind panic. It would be chaos, she'd have to keep transforming and wearing down Tikki, and she knows both her and Chat together barely match Hawkmoth's power alone.

The safest thing to do would be to agree, but there's not promise that he'd keep his or not find another way to get what he wants in the future.

People like him don't change.

But Marinette is willing to bet that right now, no matter if he's planning something bad, getting his miraculous should be a priority. She's not just Ladybug, she's also the guardian. It's her duty. Something she promised she'd give her life for.

So she looks Hawkmoth dead in the eyes and says-

"Deal."

"Deal." Without her knowing why, this makes him smug. "You see, I learned this trick long ago. How to make an akuma, and leave it floating about. To capture someone, in my trap, leave their mind rotting while I drop my miraculous in a safe place and move on. And it seems we have time for one last akuma."

Never before seeing the process, it comes as a bone-chilling shock when dark matter explodes from Hawkmoth's cane- -where he must have stored it, having planned this- -and straight into one of the decorative rock Chat Noir was throwing in frustration.

As the akuma takes over, Chat drops to the ground and groans.

For a brief moment, Ladybug can only gape and as she turns to Hawkmoth, he's already ripping the broach from his chest and presenting it in a mocking bow that the heroine doesn't hesitate to grab -watching as Nooroo gets sucked back into his cage.

Then she has to remind herself -it's not a cage anymore.

Superman, as if on cue, lands between who is now only plain Gabriel Agreste and Ladybug, taking him by arm and not saying anything before flying off with him. Ladybug didn't worry, she knows Superman doesn't interfere with other heroes problems or their conclusions. He's just taking him home, nothing more.

That wasn't her problem even if he did arrest him, she has bigger things to worry about.

How once again, she watches as Chat Noir's leather turns white, his once full of life green eyes slowly shift to a dull blue and his claws sharpen, his hair turns platnium instead of like honey.

"Chaton, you can reject it." Ladybug murmurs, going onto her knees and running a hand through his hair, the way he liked it when he was crying over his parents in the past. "You're strong enough. Please, Chat, I don't want to fight you."

Without warning, someone lands behind her and Ladybug goes to fling her yoyo out to knock them off, not wanting them to be around Chat if he does change completely, instead of the crying ball of pain he is now.

But it being Viperion, she stops herself short and gasps out a small, "Help."

This was one of Marinette's worst nightmares, one that appeared more often in her mind than her dead parents.

Chat Blanc.

Where her partner, the one she could trust, destroyed the world and himself.

"I'll try to calm him down." Viperion takes charge.

Ladybug nods, standing on quivering legs, dropping her yoyo out and watching as Viperion does his thing. 

"Hey, Sunshine, I know this hurts but I can see you're fighting. You're fighting it, and you're doing really good. Keep fighting, baby, until you can smile for me again."

Chat, used to his touch and trusting him just about as much as you could trust anyone, doesn't even flinch away as Viperion's hand gently takes him -probably not processing it as he silently and expertly slides his miraculous off, handing it off to Marinette, who simply puts the ring on with the same hand she's holding the broach.

Adrien sobs as he holds onto Viperion, try so, so hard to not let the white overtake him again.

"Break the rock." Adrien begs, but doesn't let go of it, his hand still clenched around it as he presses it to his chest. "Break it."

"I can't without breaking your hand." Ladybug says, a begging tone to her voice. "Let it go, Chaton. Please."

Carapace lands on the roof, having received a warning text from Viperion as soon as he noticed what was happening.

"What's going on, exactly?"

After a quick explanation, and trying to get Adrien to let go, only to discover when he struggled he lost control and more of him changed due to the unregulated akuma, but they were able to pin his hand above his head. Before they did anything, the butterfly broach was given to the protector, securing it.

"Dude," Carapace says, patting Adrien on the shoulder. "This is gonna hurt."

Without warning- -or permission, Ladybug would add- -Carapace's shield is slamming flat down onto Adrien's hand.

Two cracks ring out, and it makes the heroine flinch as Viperion muffles his boyfriend's scream with a hug, holding him until the lucky charm cure can be done.

"You need the other akuma more, it's wrecking the place. I could only come because it literally broke my shield." Carapace fills in, only feeling a bit guilty. "It's stronger than any of us thought, LB."

"Go. I can get a, a cast, you can't w-waste time detransforming because of, of this." Adrien tells her, gritting words out through his teeth. "Finish this."

Ladybug nods, sending him one last look. "It was supposed to be me and you, you know."

Her partner smiles weakly. "I know."

The heroine is quick to chase down the akuma, trapping it in place and Rena Rogue is the one to free the akuma, which Ladybug catches with her yoyo and throwing the lucky charm in the air as fast as possible.

A bigger problem, she discovered, was that Joker and his goons were still on the ground. Them and the Bats were at a stand off, guns drawn with the lunatic's deranged voice carrying over to their side just like the bullets.

Their damage wouldn't be fixed either, if anyone got shot they'd need to go to the hospital and damaged buildings would need to be fixed by the government.

Red Hood was down there too, literally in a life or death situation.

Ladybug knew not to go into another hero's fight and end it early, to act like they're not capable and especially not to break up feuds. It's like inviting chaos -saying to anyone who doesn't like them _they're so weak, they need help._

It also breeds fear in the public.

Which is why Superman doesn't interfere with Batman's problems, though Ladybug didn't doubt if he did a lot of it would be solved.

But right now Ladybug wasn't having that.

She flipped down right in the middle of gunfire, wrapped her yoyo around a goon on the end and used him to knock out the entire row of them.

A few escaped her and took off running.

Cat Woman, from the end of an alley, knocks one down and Red Robin pins him to the ground as she scans the area. Robin and Nightwing are fast to catch the others.

As Ladybug swings herself onto a rooftop, she sees both Batman and Red Hood and chasing the still-shooting Joker through the street -leading him to a more populated area.

In Gotham, they don't have to worry about that. People know when fights are, know when guns ring it means a villain is near, that you don't go out at night or early morning, or to parks on week ends. Or buy pizza anywhere that's not Crusty's Pizzeria, for that matter.

It only takes a few twists in the air and throws of her arm to cut Joker off but he was prepared for it, and had a goon hit her from the back with a car -throwing her into the side of a building. This gave way for Joker to escape.

"Stupid clowns," Ladybug hisses to herself, pushing herself out of the crumbling brick. "I'm going to catch him."

"We predict he's going back to Gotham." Batman answers, and if she hadn't known they were following close by, Ladybug would have jumped at the sound of his voice. "You won't catch him."

If she was being honest, the heroine didn't even care.

She wanted to collapse.

Holding a hand out to Red Hood, she mumbles "Chat got hurt."

"He'll be okay, as always. Are you hurt?" He interlocks their fingers, pulling her closer as she shakes her head. "Did you get Hawkmoth's miraculous."

"We made a deal." Ladybug admits. "I hate it."

Red Hood's jaw clenches, a glare coming to his eye though Ladybug knows it's not directed at her. "What was it for."

"He realized he wouldn't win. That'd we'd always run in circles. He's not insane, like the Joker. He's deadly smart, so he offered me his miraculous in exchange for freedom. No consequences. Access to his wife's care suite. Seeing his son once a month. Everything he actually wants in life, he asked for it, and I gave it to him." She could scream at herself. "I should have fought him, I shouldn't have done it. Chat almost got akumatized. He's hurt, because of me. God, my team -all we've sacrificed, just for him to get off clean. Like none of it happened."

"You won." He reminds her, giving her side a squeeze. "That's not a small thing. It wasn't for nothing, he's defeated. I can see the headline now, 'Hawkmoth Finally Defeated' with you and Chat on the cover."

"Everyone you've fought for and saved, they tend to understand." Batman says this and Ladybug can instantly see the dad in him, even if he's not always the best one.

Being the paranoid bastard he is, knowing all about Jason's life- -how ever much she knows that annoys him- -the heroine easily puts together why Batman, or Bruce, doesn't even blink at the closeness between them.

"You know who I am."

"I do."

She grins as Red Hood's helmet opens, and Jason still has a mask on underneath. "What the fuck? This is like, a really important moment. I felt like crying, and then his detective ass is all 'I do' like she just proposed. Now I don't know if I can laugh or not. God. Where's Chat? I'd rather put up with his bullshit. Then again, he's out of commission."

"Chat Noir was flown to the hospital, by Kon-El." Batman answers, arms crossing but the frown on his cowl relaxed. "He is fine."

"But you know, back on the subject of Hawkmoth, if you don't tell them who he is, and neither does Chat, nobody else will know." Red Hood reminds her.

Except for Superman... _who hadn't promised a single thing._

Suddenly, Ladybug felt a bit giddy over her at the prospect of _Hawkmoth Finally Defeat_ being tomorrow's headline.

Ladybug closes Red Hood's helmet for him, getting a sharp "Hey!" in reply, but just winks before swinging herself away -adrenaline rushing past her ears as she leaps across the rooftops doing outrageous flips.

She did win, and there's more wins to come.

And fuck-

_It feels so good!_


End file.
